Anxiety
Racing thoughts, constant worry, tension that won’t let up. We’ll identify your triggers and build practical strategies to calm your nervous system and take back your days.
Telehealth therapy · Pennsylvania
Therapy that meets you where you are.
Life Assessments is the independent practice of Dustin Francis, LCSW — direct, practical therapy for depression, anxiety, grief, and the transitions life throws at you. All sessions are held over secure video, for clients across Pennsylvania.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
100% Telehealth
Serving Pennsylvania
About
Hi, I’m Dustin.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than a decade of experience in the social work field. I’m dedicated to helping individuals navigate life’s challenges and create meaningful and lasting change. Over the years, I’ve worked with people from a variety of backgrounds and have developed experience using diverse therapeutic approaches tailored to each person’s unique needs, experiences, and goals.
I believe therapy should be more than simply managing symptoms. It should be a space where you feel heard, understood, and supported as you work toward a healthier and more fulfilling life.
I’m passionate about mental health and helping people improve their overall quality of life — whether that means working through difficult experiences, strengthening relationships, managing life’s stressors, gaining a deeper understanding of yourself, or simply finding your way forward.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) — Pennsylvania license #CW023293
- Master of Social Work (MSW), Hunter College School of Social Work, 2010
- NPI #1518207158
- Independent practice — Life Assessments, telehealth for Pennsylvania clients
Specialties
What we can work on together
These are the areas I focus on most. If what you’re carrying isn’t listed here, reach out — we’ll figure out together whether we’re a good fit.
Depression
Low mood, loss of motivation, emptiness, or feeling stuck in a loop you can’t think your way out of. We’ll work on understanding the pattern and rebuilding momentum, one step at a time.
Adjustment & Life Transitions
New chapters, hard endings, and the in-between: career changes, relationship shifts, grief, or simply feeling like life doesn’t fit anymore. Adjustment is a skill — we’ll build it.
Bipolar Disorder
Navigating the highs and lows with steadiness. We’ll work on recognizing patterns, managing episodes, and building a life that stays grounded through the swings.
Crisis Counseling
When things feel urgent and overwhelming, you don’t have to face it alone. A steady, experienced presence to help you through acute distress and toward stability.
Alcohol Use & Recovery
A non-judgmental space to honestly look at your relationship with alcohol and decide what change looks like for you — at your pace, on your terms.
I also support clients working through stress, grief and loss, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the lasting effects of abuse.
Approach
Practical tools, not just talk
Every person is different, so I don’t force one method on everyone. I draw from well-established, evidence-based approaches and tailor them to what you actually need:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — spotting unhelpful thought patterns and changing what they drive you to do.
- Supportive Therapy — a steady, non-judgmental space where you feel heard, validated, and accepted as you are.
- Motivational Interviewing — working through ambivalence when part of you wants change and part of you doesn’t — you stay in the driver’s seat.
- Harm Reduction — meeting you where you are and reducing negative impacts, without demanding perfection first.
- Family Systems — understanding how relationships and environments shape what you’re going through.
- Psychotherapy — deeper, ongoing work toward core emotional healing and lasting change.
All of this happens inside a trauma-informed, judgment-free space. You set the pace; I bring the structure.
Fees & Insurance
Two ways to work with me
You can book through Grow Therapy using insurance or self-pay, or work with me directly. Rates below are exactly as listed on each profile.
Through Grow Therapy
$200 self-pay, per session
- Insurance accepted — including Amerihealth, Cigna, Evernorth, and Independence Blue Cross
- Verify your coverage and see your exact cost before you book
- Online scheduling and secure video sessions through Grow Therapy
Direct Pay
$225–$250 per session
- Pay by cash, check, or credit card
- No insurance billing — simple, private, direct
- Text to get started — we’ll talk through fit and scheduling
For real text inquiries only, please — text only if you’re genuinely interested in starting therapy.
Text (813) 693-2535FAQ
Good questions
How do sessions work?
All sessions are held over secure video — no commute, no waiting room. You’ll need a private space and a phone, tablet, or computer. Scheduling and session links are handled through Grow Therapy.
Who can you work with?
I currently see adult clients located in Pennsylvania at the time of our sessions. If you’re elsewhere, I’m happy to point you toward someone licensed in your state.
Do you take insurance?
Yes — through Grow Therapy, which works with many major plans, including Amerihealth, Cigna, Evernorth, and Independence Blue Cross; self-pay there is $200 per session. Direct-pay sessions outside Grow Therapy are $225–$250. See Fees & Insurance for both options.
What happens in the first session?
We talk. I’ll ask about what brought you in, what you’re hoping changes, and any background that matters. There’s no test to pass — it’s a conversation, and by the end we’ll have a starting plan.
Is telehealth as effective as in-person therapy?
Research consistently shows telehealth therapy works well for depression, anxiety, and many other concerns. Many clients actually prefer it — being in your own space can make it easier to open up.
What if I’m in crisis?
If you’re ever in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) right away, or go to your nearest emergency room. This practice isn’t set up for crisis care between sessions.
Get started
Take the first step
The fastest way to begin is booking through Grow Therapy — you can check availability, verify insurance, and schedule your first session there.
Book through Grow Therapy