Monica Cesar McGraw, LICSW

Monica Cesar McGraw is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) practicing in Massachusetts. She brings six years of professional experience to sessions and speaks English and Portuguese. Monica focuses on practical, short-term strategies that help people manage stress and anxiety. She also works with trauma and abuse, grief and loss, motivation and self-esteem, and mood concerns such as depression and bipolar symptoms. Her approach is collaborative and respectful. In session she listens first, then helps people set clear, achievable goals. Monica adapts what she does to each person's needs rather than using a single method for everyone. Conversations can include skills practice, goal setting, and reflection on personal stories and patterns. Monica draws on several clinical approaches to shape sessions. She uses cognitive behavioral techniques to identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Mindfulness techniques help people notice thoughts and feelings without getting overwhelmed. Motivational interviewing supports readiness to change when someone feels unsure about next steps. She also incorporates narrative ideas to help people reframe difficult events and DBT-informed skills for emotion regulation when needed. Monica pays attention to caregiver stress and issues that come with aging and geriatric concerns, and she helps people navigate end-of-life and hospice-related challenges. Monica aims to make the first steps easier by tailoring plans to what fits a person's life and schedule. She encourages honest conversation about goals and practical obstacles so progress can start right away.

Approaches that translate to online work

CBT helps people spot and change unhelpful thoughts and habits through exercises and simple experiments. It is often used for anxiety, depression, panic, phobias, and obsessive thoughts. DBT offers clear skills for managing overwhelming emotions and improving how someone copes with stress and relationships. Mindfulness therapy teaches noticing thoughts and feelings with less reactivity, which can reduce anxiety and increase moment-to-moment calm. Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose which methods match their goals and preferences. That collaborative plan can be adjusted as progress is made and new challenges appear. The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Many people find online therapy helpful because it can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, remove travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Online sessions can also let someone use mindfulness or skills practice in the context of their everyday routine, which helps translate learning into daily life.