Lara Shemali, LMHC

Lara Shemali is a licensed mental health counselor with 29 years of experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship problems. Lara also supports people who are healing from trauma and abuse and those working on recovery from addiction.

She uses clear, practical tools to reduce stress and ease overwhelming feelings. Sessions focus on skills you can use between appointments, and on improving confidence and motivation in daily life. Conversations are straightforward and grounded in what matters to each person.

Lara aims to create an open, nonjudgmental space where people can share thoughts and feelings. She emphasizes collaboration, helping clients set realistic goals and making step-by-step plans to reach them. She encourages people to notice small changes and build on those successes.

Her experience includes supporting people with chronic pain, body image concerns, attachment and abandonment issues, and communication or commitment struggles. She also has experience with dissociation, domestic violence, and co-occurring substance use concerns. These areas are addressed through focused talk and practical strategies tailored to each person.

Lara understands busy schedules and may offer some evening or weekend appointments when available. She works from Washington and conducts sessions in English. If you are ready to begin, she asks that you complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a session through the Start Therapy process.

How Lara's approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them and then move toward actions that matter. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and living with chronic health challenges. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and trying new behaviors to reduce distress, which often helps with anxiety, low mood, and stress. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening, empathy, and creating a respectful space so a person can lead the pace and topics of work. It supports building self-esteem and working through relationship concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist works collaboratively to match methods to your needs, goals, and preferences. That may mean combining elements from different approaches and adjusting as you progress.

The original biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, avoid travel time, and have shorter check-ins when needed. It can also allow people to schedule appointments outside standard business hours when evening or weekend times are offered. Licensed professionals can adapt these approaches to work effectively in remote sessions and help clients practice skills between meetings.