Sharleen Nwakwesi, LCSW

Sharleen Nwakwesi is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, self-esteem, depression, and trauma and abuse. She works in a straightforward, respectful way so people can make choices that fit their lives. Her style aims to be non-judgmental and supportive, with attention to what each person already does well.

Sharleen builds a collaborative relationship based on trust and caring. She helps clients set realistic goals and then uses practical steps to reach them. Sessions often focus on strengthening existing skills and finding manageable changes that lead to better day-to-day functioning.

Her training includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a Master of Social Work from the Universities of Toronto and York. She holds the LCSW credential and brings 28 years of experience working with a wide range of concerns. That background includes helping people adjust to illness, disability, caregiving stress, and cognitive changes.

Common issues she addresses include caregiving and geriatric concerns, cancer-related stress, traumatic brain injury, relationship and communication problems, social anxiety, and work or career strain. She also supports people facing prejudice or isolation and those coping with bipolar disorder, ADHD, or compassion fatigue.

Sharleen emphasizes practical strategies people can use right away. Her work is driven by simple goals: understand where someone is now, identify strengths, and take small steps toward better daily functioning.

How her approaches guide online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the client. It aims to create a respectful working relationship and helps people identify their own goals and strengths. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It uses practical exercises and small experiments to reduce anxiety, depression, and unhelpful patterns. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative way to explore readiness for change and strengthen personal motivation to reach goals.

Deciding which approach to use is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options and help pick the best fit based on a person's needs, goals, and preferences. Sessions are collaborative and evolve as progress is made.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when helpful, and reduce travel time. Licensed professionals can use practical techniques from CBT and client-centered work to support coping, decision-making, and behavior change in remote sessions.