About Lesley
Lesley Gustafson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 39 years of experience. She offers calm, practical support for people facing stress, anxiety, grief, mood changes, and difficult life events. Lesley writes simply and listens closely to understand what matters most to each person.
She has worked for many years in inpatient psychiatric settings and with disaster response teams through the Red Cross. Those roles shaped her ability to respond to crisis and to steady people during sudden changes.
Background and approach
She draws on group and individual therapy skills to match the approach to the moment. Lesley helps people dealing with depression, bipolar mood concerns, trauma and abuse, addictions, anger, and paranoia. She also focuses on first responder issues and multicultural concerns, and on the effects of prejudice and discrimination.
She aims to offer support, education, and practical guidance rather than jargon. Sessions are straightforward and goal-oriented. Lesley balances listening with gentle coaching, teaching coping skills and problem-solving strategies.
She uses methods that have a strong evidence base and adapts them to each person’s needs. Lesley practices in Massachusetts and works in English. Her long clinical background includes both group and one-on-one work.
People who want a steady, experienced counselor for crisis work, ongoing mood management, or life transitions may find her approach helpful.
Evidence-based approaches for online care
Lesley uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical change and stability. One approach emphasizes skill teaching for emotion regulation and coping. This helps people manage overwhelming feelings, reduce anxiety, and handle mood swings with step-by-step tools. Another approach centers on trauma-informed work that helps people process distressing events and rebuild safety in everyday life. That method combines grounding techniques and paced processing tailored to each person.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Lesley will work together with each person to choose methods that match symptoms, goals, and personal preferences. She adjusts pace and techniques as needs evolve, checking in regularly to make sure the work feels useful.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls provide face-to-face interaction for deeper conversation, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging support shorter check-ins, notes between sessions, and people who prefer written communication. These formats make it simpler to fit therapy into busy schedules and to keep continuity when life is unpredictable.
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Addictions
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- First responder issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Paranoia
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Experience
- 39 years
- Licensed
- Massachusetts
- Languages
- English