Carlene Messer, LCSW

Carlene Messer, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), is a psychotherapist with 20 years of experience who draws on a wide range of practice settings to support people through difficult moments. She has provided counseling in university counseling centers, school systems, private practice, community mental health centers, and within the VA system, which has informed a broad understanding of how and why problems arise in daily life.

Carlene helps individuals, couples, families, students, and veterans make sense of who they are, what they do, and what they want moving forward. She focuses on identifying strengths, setting practical goals, and building skills to address issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, anger, relationship conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, sleep difficulties, intimacy concerns, and challenges related to career and life transitions. Her areas of clinical focus also include work with LGBT clients, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, and a range of relational and adjustment issues.

Her therapeutic approach is eclectic and grounded in evidence-based interventions, with the belief that one size does not fit all. She adapts methods to each person rather than following a single rigid model. Her style is laid back, guided by common sense, and often playful, aiming to make therapy both enlightening and rewarding. Throughout, she seeks to help people see strengths in themselves and others and to recognize opportunities for change and growth.