Kelly Gulat, LPC

Kelly Gulat is a Licensed Professional Counselor who brings 11 years of clinical experience to her work in Virginia. She draws on a long background in mental health to help people find clearer direction and greater well-being. Her style is warm and straightforward, aimed at making the first steps feel manageable for a worried parent or someone under stress.

Kelly focuses on common life struggles like stress, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, relationship and intimacy concerns, and issues around identity. She also supports people coping with chronic illness, caregiving strain, career transitions, and sleep or parenting challenges. She pays attention to how different parts of life - family, work, health - connect and affect daily functioning.

In sessions she uses practical strategies alongside listening and validation. She often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills to help people change unhelpful thinking patterns and build coping skills. Client-Centered approaches and mindfulness practices are also part of her toolkit when they fit a person's needs.

Her approach aims to be collaborative. Clients can expect clear goals, short-term skill-building, and longer conversations about meaning and values when helpful. Kelly values straightforward communication and works to create a respectful space for people to talk about difficult feelings.

Kelly offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules. She works in English and practices in Virginia as an LPC.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Kelly commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy in online sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and manage symptoms like sleep problems or anger. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and empathy so clients feel heard as they talk through identity, grief, or relationship concerns.

She also incorporates Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills when needed, teaching concrete tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication. Choosing the right approach is a team process - the therapist will talk with each person about goals, try approaches that fit, and adjust the plan as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to work together. Video calls let people connect from wherever they are and use visual cues. Phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for brief check-ins, skill practice, or when a shorter, written format fits a busy day. These options can make it easier to fit therapy into parenting schedules, work breaks, or times of reduced mobility.