Profile / United States
Lara Shemali, LMHC
Washington
LMHC - anxiety and relationship concerns
See online therapy options- CBT methods
- ACT techniques
- Substance recovery
About Lara
Lara Shemali is a Washington-licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with 29 years of experience. She helps people reduce stress, manage anxiety, and address relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and depression. She also supports recovery from addictions and works with a range of related problems.
She draws on structured, evidence-informed tools to notice unhelpful thoughts and habits and to try different responses. Sessions focus on practical steps and skills people can use between meetings. She uses methods that include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy alongside client-centered and emotionally-focused approaches.
Lara works with issues such as attachment and abandonment, commitment and communication problems, body image, blended family challenges, chronic pain or illness, dissociation, and substance use. She also has experience with concerns linked to alternative sex cultures and BDSM when that is part of a person’s presenting issues.
She aims to arrange sessions around work and life schedules and can consider evening and weekend times when available. People who start therapy are asked to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule an initial session to agree goals and practical steps. Lara encourages straightforward conversation about what someone hopes to change and what will make the work manageable.
Sessions are conducted in English and international clients are accepted. Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How CBT and related methods are used in online sessions
CBT focuses on noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing out different responses. It usually involves short exercises, practical homework, and step-by-step skill building to reduce anxiety and change patterns of avoidance.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values, accept difficult feelings without fighting them, and take action aligned with what matters. ACT is often useful for stress, chronic pain, and situations where avoidance has become a pattern.
Client-centered work prioritizes clear, respectful listening and collaborative planning. It helps people name what matters and decide small, achievable next steps for change.
Figuring out which approach fits best is part of the work. The therapist will review goals, preferences, and how someone responds to initial strategies and then agree on an approach to try. That collaborative process guides whether more CBT-style tasks, ACT methods, or client-centered discussion will be emphasized.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can help fit therapy around work, caregiving, or travel by removing commute time and making it easier to schedule shorter check-ins or evening appointments. They also allow therapists and clients to keep the focus on practical skill building and regular follow-up without requiring an in-person visit.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
29+ years
Listed in
Washington
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly help with?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and depression. She also works with addiction recovery and related problems.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
She uses CBT to help identify unhelpful thoughts and habits and to practice different ways of responding. Sessions include concrete exercises and between-session practice.
What is her professional background?
She has 29 years of professional experience working in mental health settings and with individuals facing a wide range of concerns.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an LMHC licensed in Washington and practices from that state.
Which languages are supported and are international clients taken?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Confirm current session options before booking by checking the online therapy options, as formats are not listed in the biography.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What steps do I take to start?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.