Sheri Bell-O'Gara, LCSW

Sheri Bell-O'Gara is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Indiana with 29 years of experience addressing trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, grief, sleep difficulties, relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting challenges, and a wide range of related mental health issues. She has specialized training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (including CBT for Insomnia), and grief work, and she is currently training in somatic therapy. Sheri has worked extensively with returning combat veterans from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other war zones, as well as with hospice and geriatric clients.

Sheri takes a collaborative, client-centered approach and avoids fitting people into rigid categories - she adapts to each person and follows where they need to go in the work. She describes her style as compassionate and values appropriate use of humor as a way to ease difficult moments. Sheri is available to meet by video, live chat, text messaging, or phone, and she aims to offer practical skills and steady support as clients work through their concerns. She welcomes the opportunity to connect and provide supportive care.

Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Healing

EMDR is a structured therapy that helps people process distressing memories and the emotions attached to them. It uses guided eye movements or similar bilateral stimulation along with focused attention on targeted memories, and it is often used when trauma or past events continue to cause symptoms.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - CBT - is a practical, problem-focused approach that helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and develop new strategies for coping. It is commonly used for anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, and stress-related concerns.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - ACT - emphasizes values-based action and learning to accept difficult internal experiences while committing to meaningful life changes. It can be helpful when clients want to reduce avoidance and increase connection to what matters most to them.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Sheri works collaboratively with each person to determine the best fit based on their needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors interventions and adapts methods rather than forcing a single model on every client.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video, phone, live chat, or text allow people to meet with licensed professionals from home or wherever they are. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, maintain continuity of care during transitions, and access consistent support when in-person visits are difficult.