Lara Joynes-Whidden, LCSW

Lara Joynes-Whidden is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and a certified employee assistance professional who brings experience from both outpatient and inpatient clinical settings as well as workplace-based assistance programs. She focuses her practice on mood disorders, employment-related difficulties, family concerns, and substance use issues, offering practical support tailored to each person's situation.

Having worked across varied care environments, she combines clinical training with an understanding of workplace dynamics to help clients address challenges at home and on the job. Her background in employee assistance work means she is familiar with the stresses that affect productivity, relationships, and overall well-being.

Lara approaches therapy as a collaborative process. She partners with clients to identify goals, build coping strategies, and move from their current circumstances toward a clearer, healthier direction. Her style emphasizes working together to create realistic steps that reflect each client’s priorities and strengths.

Approaches That Guide Online Care

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the client’s own goals and perspectives, creating a supportive space where the therapist follows the client’s lead to build understanding and self-directed change. It is useful for people facing relationship strain, life transitions, or uncertainty about next steps.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and teaches practical strategies to shift them. This approach is commonly used for anxiety, depression, stress, and mood-related concerns because it focuses on skills and problem-solving.

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, strengths-focused method that supports people who are ambivalent about change, often used with substance use, addiction, or lifestyle adjustments. It helps clients clarify their own motivations and commit to manageable steps forward.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic work. Lara Joynes-Whidden collaborates with each person to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to engage - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - so clients can choose what works with their schedule and comfort level. These options make it easier to maintain consistent care, accommodate busy lives, and access licensed professionals from different settings.