Alicia Gard, LMHC

Alicia Gard is a licensed mental health counselor in Florida with nine years of clinical experience. She helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, anger, low self esteem, impulsivity, and grief. Alicia also works with those facing substance use concerns, trauma, and relationship or family-related struggles.

She begins by getting to know each person as an individual. Alicia avoids one-size-fits-all plans and instead shapes goals and steps to fit what matters to the person in front of her. Sessions mix practical skills with talking through past experiences and current patterns.

Her methods draw on cognitive behavioral ideas to change unhelpful thoughts and actions, dialectical behavior techniques to manage emotions and improve coping, and attachment-focused work that looks at how early relationships affect current bonds. Alicia brings a client-centered stance, which means she listens closely and adapts to each person's pace and needs.

She has focused experience supporting people with drug and alcohol addiction and with unresolved grief and loss. Alicia also addresses concerns like abandonment, codependency, dissociation, impulsivity, and isolation. Her practice pays attention to how multiple issues can occur together and affect daily life.

Alicia emphasizes clear steps and skills alongside emotional processing. She invites honest conversation and works collaboratively to set achievable changes. If someone is unsure where to start, she helps narrow the first small steps and build from there.

How her approaches guide online work

Alicia uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help people identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering concrete exercises and steps to practice between sessions. She also draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how early relationships shape current patterns, which can help people understand relationship struggles and trust issues. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is part of her toolbox too, focusing on values-based action and learning to live with difficult feelings rather than fighting them.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Alicia will listen to goals and struggles, then suggest methods that fit a person’s needs and preferences. She checks in regularly and adjusts the plan as progress or challenges emerge.

If you are considering online work, confirm the available session formats before booking since specific options are not listed in the biography. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and avoid travel time. They can also make it simpler to keep sessions consistent during life changes. The therapist and client can decide together which approach and scheduling rhythm will work best for day-to-day life.