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LCSW

Carleigh O'Brien, LCSW

  • Experience9 years
  • LocationMontana
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Relationship, and Family
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Carleigh

Carleigh O'Brien is a licensed clinical social worker with nine years of professional experience practicing in Montana.

Background and approach

She earned her degree from Walla Walla University in Missoula, Montana, in 2013 and has built a practice grounded in evidence-informed approaches such as Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Her training and background inform a practical, skills-oriented way of working with stress, anxiety, mood differences, and trauma-related concerns.

Carleigh emphasizes collaborative work that helps people navigate relationship challenges, grief, parenting strains, and life transitions. She also supports clients addressing intimacy-related struggles, identity and LGBT concerns, attention-related difficulties, and a range of other issues including postpartum depression and recovery following sexual assault.

Her clinical style blends mindfulness, communication-focused strategies, and structured cognitive techniques to build coping skills, strengthen attachment patterns, and promote clearer decision making. In sessions she integrates tailored interventions to match each client’s goals and pace, drawing on nine years of practice to balance empathy with practical steps toward change.

Services are provided in English and are currently offered to clients based in Montana.

Integrating relational approaches with online care

Carleigh draws from Internal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to guide online work in ways that translate well to remote sessions. Internal Family Systems helps people explore internal parts and their roles in thoughts and behaviors, which can be useful for navigating trauma responses, attachment patterns, and internal conflict. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy emphasizes values-guided action and mindful acceptance of difficult experiences, supporting work on anxiety, stress, and life transitions.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and she collaborates with each client to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences. The therapist adjusts interventions based on what is most helpful for the individual, using a mix of reflective conversation and practical exercises to discover a productive path forward.

Online formats offered include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which provide flexibility for scheduling and accessibility from different locations within Montana. These options make it possible to maintain continuity of care while using mindfulness practices, CBT exercises, and attachment-focused interventions in ways that suit a client’s daily life and routines.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Carleigh commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family challenges, grief, intimacy-related issues, parenting concerns, anger, self-esteem, career shifts, bipolar mood issues, coping with life changes, and ADHD among other areas.
What is her general therapeutic approach and style?
Her approach combines Internal Family Systems, ACT, attachment-based and client-centered principles with CBT techniques to balance empathy, mindfulness, and concrete skill-building.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has nine years of experience practicing as a therapist, working across a range of individual and relational concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds the credential LCSW with licence details MT LCSW BBH-LCSW-LIC-22989 and practices in Montana.
Can non-English speakers work with this clinician or are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are available for working together?
Clients can meet via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging according to therapist availability and preference.
How are costs and subscriptions handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseDepression

Also works with

LGBTGriefIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesADHD

Additional focus areas

Attachment issuesCommunication problemsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSexual assault and abuseYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

9+ years

Licensed

Montana

Languages

English