James Gilligan, LCSW

James Gilligan is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) licensed in Florida with 20 years of experience. He focuses on stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem, relationship and intimacy-related issues, eating and sleeping concerns, parenting, anger, career questions, bipolar disorder, depression, and coping with life changes.

He trained at Florida International University and has a long history working in schools and community settings. Early work in Miami-Dade public schools included individual and group work for children, and family-focused interventions. That experience shaped how he notices patterns that start in childhood and affect adult relationships.

Since 2007 he has worked with active duty military and veterans on marital problems, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and domestic violence concerns. He also has experience with people dealing with severe mental illness, such as bipolar disorder and major depression, and with addiction and eating disorder challenges.

His approach uses practical methods drawn from attachment-based therapy, client-centered work, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Sessions are aimed at identifying patterns, building coping skills, and making concrete life changes that clients want to see.

James places emphasis on communication problems, attachment and abandonment issues, codependency, and compassion fatigue. He combines talking, skill practice, and structured techniques to address symptoms and everyday problems. People who want straightforward, skill-based help around family, work, and relationships will find his style direct and focused.

Approaches used online and how they help