Kelly Drake , LMSW

Kelly Drake is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with 25 years of experience in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment across clinical and community settings. She blends a strong educational foundation in family systems, psychodynamic theory, free association, and strength-based practice with practical experience treating complex needs. Early in her career she spent a decade focused on suicide assessment and trauma treatment for children ages 4 to 17, working with young people who experienced severe mental illness and abuse across the Detroit, Michigan area and within local school systems and community mental health agencies.

Later, she served as an Army officer and social worker, where another decade of her work centered on suicide risk assessment and trauma treatment for soldiers and their families. In that setting she adopted a solution-focused orientation that incorporated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy concepts to address nightmares and sleep difficulties, and she received training in Cognitive Processing Therapy as an evidence-based approach for PTSD.

Kelly brings a calm, collected, and perceptive style to clinical work. She practices with accurate empathy, respect, and dignity, and she moves at a client’s pace while also being direct about what is needed for change. For her, social work is a vocation rather than a job, and she expresses appreciation for the opportunity to accompany people through some of the most vulnerable parts of their lives.

Therapeutic Approaches and Remote Care

Kelly Drake uses several established approaches to guide online work, tailoring methods to each person’s needs. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns - it helps people understand closeness, trust, and connection issues that affect relationships and family life. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the client’s own goals and pace, offering a respectful, nonjudgmental space where the therapist listens deeply and supports self-directed growth. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets unhelpful thoughts and behaviors with practical strategies; it is often used for anxiety, sleep problems, trauma-related nightmares, and mood concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Kelly works collaboratively with clients to identify which methods fit their situation, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as progress is made. That collaborative stance helps ensure therapy feels relevant and manageable.

Online sessions by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to access licensed professionals from different locations. These options offer flexibility in scheduling, multiple ways to communicate, and the ability to continue work even when in-person visits are difficult, making care more accessible for many people.