Therapist profile
Cara Kelley, LMHC
Iowa
Iowa LMHC helping with stress and relationships
Continue with CaraWhere Cara stands
- Credentials
- LMHC
- License
- LMHC, Iowa / 095624
- NPI
- 1891252888
- Experience
- 8 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- Iowa
About
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
About Cara
Cara Kelley is an Iowa LMHC with eight years of clinical experience. She works with adults on concerns including stress, anxiety, self-esteem, life changes, relationships, family matters, career issues, and ADHD. Sessions are conducted in English and she does not take international clients.
Kelley draws on what a person already knows and their strengths. She focuses on practical steps people can try in daily life. Conversations aim to identify patterns that keep someone stuck and develop clearer ways to respond.
Her background includes work with individuals and groups and an ongoing interest in the military community and veteran-related concerns. Kelley’s training includes coursework in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and education in suicide prevention. She holds the LMHC credential and has experience with a range of life transitions.
In sessions she uses client-centered methods alongside cognitive behavioral and solution-focused tools. That can mean looking at thoughts that intensify anxiety, testing small behavior changes, and setting concrete, short-term goals to build momentum. Motivational interviewing helps when someone feels unsure about making a change.
Many people who come to her are dealing with codependency, difficulty setting boundaries, guilt and shame, or the fallout from separation and divorce. Kelley describes therapy as a practical collaboration. She helps people try new coping skills, rebuild confidence, and clarify what matters next.
How sessions work
How Cara Kelley applies practical approaches in online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting what matters to the person. It helps people feel heard and clarify their own goals so they can make decisions that fit their values.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It helps when anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or unhelpful beliefs get in the way of everyday functioning by testing new ways of thinking and trying small behavior changes.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Kelley will collaborate with each person to decide which methods to try based on needs, goals, and preferences. That means checking in and adjusting the way sessions are run as progress or challenges appear.
Confirm the exact online session options before booking because formats are not specified here. Online work can make scheduling easier and reduce travel time, which helps fit sessions into busy days. It can also allow for shorter check-ins when life is hectic or for more frequent brief meetings to keep momentum with goals.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
Iowa
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, life changes, relationship and family issues, career concerns, ADHD, and related topics such as codependency and communication problems.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She uses client-centered work with CBT and solution-focused techniques. Sessions focus on practical steps, testing small changes, and identifying unhelpful thinking patterns.
How much experience does she have?
She has eight years of experience working in individual and group settings and with military-connected concerns.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an LMHC practicing in Iowa and conducts sessions in English.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English only and she does not accept international clients.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking as formats are not specified here.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe at home, use the crisis and helpline numbers.