- ACT techniques
- CBT tools
- Attachment focus
About Lara
Lara Shemali is a Washington-licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with 29 years of experience. She helps adults manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, and issues around self-esteem. She speaks English and accepts international clients.
She offers practical tools for reducing stress and coping with anxiety. Sessions include clear techniques for motivation, confidence, and recovery from substance use. She also addresses relationship concerns and communication problems that often surface in blended households and stepfamily situations.
Her work draws on a mix of approaches so sessions tend to be straightforward and goal-focused. Clients can expect a mix of skills practice, reflection, and talk-based problem solving. She pays attention to attachment concerns, abandonment fears, and patterns such as avoidant personality traits that affect close relationships.
She has long experience supporting people through separation, divorce, domestic violence, and the aftermath of trauma. She also sees people managing chronic pain, illness, and the emotional effects of disability. Practical steps and coping strategies are a frequent part of sessions.
Scheduling is flexible to fit weekday, evening, or weekend needs when possible. Cost varies by location and uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, stress, and commitment concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and practicing different behaviors to change mood and reactions. CBT is commonly used for anxiety, depression, and problem-solving in relationships. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) looks at how emotions shape interactions and can help with attachment-related struggles and communication problems.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Lara will discuss options with each person and decide together which methods fit best for the goals and problems at hand. That collaborative decision can change as progress is made or new issues arise.
If you are considering online sessions, confirm the current session formats before booking since they are not specified here. Many people find online work easier to fit into busy schedules, letting them have shorter check-ins, schedule sessions around work, or avoid travel time. Talk-based methods like ACT, CBT, and EFT translate well to remote sessions because they rely on guided conversation, skills practice, and behavioral planning rather than equipment or in-person exercises.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
29+ years
Listed in
Washington
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem concerns. Additional areas include blended family issues, addiction recovery, and communication problems.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She uses practical, talk-based sessions that mix skills practice with reflection. Her approach draws on ACT, CBT, EFT, client-centered, and existential elements.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 29 years of professional experience working with adults on a range of mental health and relationship concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is an LMHC and holds a Washington LMHC credential. She practices from Washington.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
Yes, she accepts international clients.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with sessions?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.