Chiara Ascari, LCSW

Chiara Ascari is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Virginia who combines empathy with practical strategies to support people navigating stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, parenting challenges, grief, sleep problems, ADHD, bipolar disorder, anger, and other life changes. She holds a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University earned in 1999 and brings seven years of clinical experience working in a variety of settings, primarily with individuals and also with family groups. Chiara emphasizes increasing self-awareness as a pathway to growth and helps clients explore their experiences with compassion and nonjudgmental support.

Her work is grounded in client-centered principles that prioritize each person’s goals and perspective, along with cognitive-behavioral techniques that address unhelpful thinking and solution-focused strategies that identify practical steps forward. She adapts methods to fit each individual, meeting clients where they are and collaborating to set realistic goals. Chiara welcomes communication between sessions and frequently checks messages to stay engaged with clients’ ongoing needs. She is available for messaging and for live chats, and she communicates in both English and Italian, offering a supportive space for bilingual clients seeking guidance and change.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Remote Care

Chiara uses client-centered therapy to place the individual’s goals and experiences at the center of the work, creating a collaborative environment where the client’s perspective guides each step. Cognitive-behavioral techniques are also a core part of her practice; these approaches help people identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and develop practical coping skills for issues like anxiety, depression, and stress. She also draws on solution-focused methods that emphasize short-term, goal-oriented strategies to create tangible progress and build momentum toward desired changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Chiara works together with each client to determine which methods best match their needs, preferences, and objectives. This collaborative exploration helps tailor sessions so they feel meaningful and achievable.

Online therapy options such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging offer flexibility for busy schedules and make it easier to maintain momentum between appointments. These formats allow licensed professionals like Chiara to stay engaged with clients across different moments and settings, supporting consistent progress while fitting therapy into everyday life.