James Gilligan

James Gilligan is an LCSW based in Florida who helps people manage stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, and career questions. He also supports people facing mood disorders such as depression and bipolar, and those coping with trauma, attachment wounds, or compassion fatigue. He draws on two decades of clinical work to guide practical next steps. Gilligan earned a Master of Social Work from Florida International University and became a licensed clinical social worker in Florida in 2000. Early in his career he provided individual, group, and family therapy in Miami-Dade schools. Over time he added work with people diagnosed with severe mental illness, including bipolar disorder and major depression. Since 2007 he has worked with active duty military and veterans, focusing on marital concerns, anxiety, PTSD, and domestic violence-related issues. He has experience helping people who grew up in dysfunctional family systems and who bring those patterns into adult relationships. He uses a mix of methods to match the person and the problem. Sessions can include cognitive behavioral tools to change unhelpful thinking, dialectical behavior strategies for emotion management, and attachment-based work to repair relationship patterns. He also incorporates EMDR for trauma and motivational interviewing to support change. In session he aims for clear goals, practical skills, and steady progress. People leave with steps they can try between meetings. To begin, follow the Start Therapy process and complete the matching questionnaire to schedule based on the therapist's availability.

How attachment, CBT, and EMDR translate to online work

Attachment-Based Therapy centers on how early relationships shape current patterns. Online sessions use conversation and exercises to identify those patterns and try new ways of relating in day-to-day life. This approach can help when past abandonment or attachment wounds affect current connections. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. In remote sessions clients learn practical skills to test and change unhelpful thinking and to build different habits. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress management. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR, is a trauma-focused method that helps people process distressing memories. In online sessions the therapist guides the procedure and pairs it with stabilization skills so clients have tools to manage difficult material. Choosing the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences, and then recommend methods to try. That plan can change as progress is made or needs shift. If you are considering online therapy, confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make scheduling easier and help sessions fit around work and family life. It can also make follow-up check-ins and skill practice simpler to maintain between meetings.