Adriana Lara, LMHC

Adriana Lara brings twelve years of clinical experience to her work with individuals, families, teens, and children across rural and urban communities. She earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Vermont in 2014, where she worked closely with teens and young adults facing substance use and mental health challenges and trained in culturally responsive, diversity-aware care. Her training emphasized understanding each person holistically - including identity, background, and life experience - to see how those elements shape emotional health and functioning.

As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Adriana uses evidence-informed methods to help people manage anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, addictions, relationship concerns, parenting challenges, and questions about identity and career. She values building strong rapport and establishing trust as the foundation for meaningful work, recognizing that opening up to a new professional can feel difficult. Her style is eclectic, drawing most heavily from cognitive behavioral therapy - a practical approach that helps clients identify unhelpful thought patterns and replace them with more realistic, adaptive perspectives.

Adriana combines warmth, clinical skill, and a commitment to listening so clients feel heard and supported while working toward goals. She collaborates with each person to tailor interventions to their needs, helping them find relief and forward movement in their lives.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care

Adriana integrates client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy to support clients in an online setting. Client-centered therapy focuses on building an accepting, empathetic relationship so the client feels understood and can explore feelings and goals at their own pace; it is well suited to work on self-esteem, identity, and relationship concerns. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured approach that helps people spot and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, often used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related difficulties. She also employs motivational interviewing when addressing readiness for change and addictive behaviors, using collaborative questions and reflection to help clients clarify motivation and set achievable steps toward goals.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Adriana works collaboratively with each client to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds. This collaborative stance helps tailor treatment whether the focus is symptom reduction, coping skills, or broader life changes.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video or phone, or interactions via live chat and text-based messaging - so clients can access care from home or while balancing work, school, and family. These options make it easier to maintain consistency and fit therapy into a busy life while working with licensed professionals who guide the process.