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SD Portrait of Sharlene Duplessis

Sharlene Duplessis

Trauma-informed LCSW focused on practical growth

LCSW Connecticut

Experience
16 years in practice
Focus areas
Trauma and abuse, Anger, Self esteem
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Languages
English
Continue with Sharlene

About Sharlene

Sharlene Duplessis is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in Connecticut who draws on 16 years of practice to support people navigating trauma, mood concerns, and life transitions.

Background and approach

She centers her work on evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), EMDR, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Therapy to help clients build coping skills, reframe unhelpful thoughts, and process painful memories. Her approach emphasizes meeting clients where they are and recognizing small steps as meaningful progress.

Sharlene has substantial experience in outpatient settings and has worked with families, children, and adults across a range of clinical presentations including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and post-traumatic stress.

She supports practical goals like improving communication, addressing relationship and family challenges, and managing anger or stress, while also attending to deeper issues such as guilt, shame, and self-worth. Her practice highlights collaboration and perseverance, guiding clients to increase flexibility in difficult situations and to cultivate a growth-oriented outlook over time.

Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Healing

Sharlene uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors; this approach is practical for managing anxiety, depression, and everyday stressors. She also employs EMDR when trauma memories and their emotional impact need focused processing, using structured techniques to reduce distress related to past events. DBT strategies are incorporated to build emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills when intense emotions or relationship struggles are present.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Sharlene works with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences, then adapts methods over time so the plan reflects what is most helpful for their healing and daily functioning. Clients are invited to take part in selecting techniques and tracking progress together.

Online therapy with Sharlene is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for varied schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives, maintain continuity when circumstances change, and access care from different locations while working with a licensed professional.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with a wide range of issues including trauma and abuse, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, stress, anger, relationship and family problems, parenting challenges, and life transitions.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is client-centered and trauma-informed, blending approaches such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Therapy to tailor care to each person’s needs.
What is her professional background and experience?
She holds 16 years of clinical practice, with substantial outpatient experience working with families, children, and adults who have experienced trauma and other mental health concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is licensed as an LCSW and practices in Connecticut; her license number is CT LCSW 10424.
Can she work with clients who live outside the United States?
Yes, she accepts international clients and offers services to people who are located outside the U.S.
What session formats are offered?
Sessions are available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences.
How are fees handled for therapy with her?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in getting started?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Trauma and abuseAnger managementSelf esteem

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsParenting issuesCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCoping with life changesADHD

Additional focus areas

Blended family issuesCommunication problemsDivorce and separationFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersPost-traumatic stressSelf-harmSelf-loveWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Motivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

16+ years

Licensed

Connecticut

Languages

English