Cara Kelley, LMHC

Cara Kelley is an Iowa-based LMHC with eight years of experience working with individuals across the lifespan. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) she blends client-centered care with evidence-based methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Therapy to address concerns including stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, ADHD, relationship and family issues, and life transitions. She also focuses on aging and geriatric concerns, codependency, commitment and communication problems, divorce and separation, feelings of emptiness, family of origin issues, forgiveness, guilt and shame, life purpose, men's issues, midlife challenges, veteran and armed forces matters, and obsessive-compulsive patterns.

Cara maintains connections with the military community and has advocated for veteran suicide awareness. Her approach emphasizes building a warm, supportive therapeutic relationship where people can speak openly and learn practical strategies for coping. She works with individuals to identify strengths already present in their lives and to use those strengths to break long-standing patterns that limit growth and wellbeing.

Cara values a holistic view of health, recognizing that thoughts, physical wellbeing, and a sense of purpose influence one another. She holds a hopeful stance about human resilience and believes that change is possible when a person is ready to engage in the process. Throughout her work she aims to help people develop healthier coping skills, greater confidence, and a clearer sense of meaning as they move forward in life.