Lara Joynes-Whidden, LCSW
Calm, practical therapy for real-life problems
Explore online therapy optionsWorks with
- Anger
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
How Lara works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Florida
- Years in practice
- 3
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Lara
Lara Joynes-Whidden is a licensed clinical social worker who focuses on practical, goal-oriented therapy. She uses clear conversation and collaborative planning to help people manage anger, addiction, anxiety, depression, and stress. Her approach aims to help clients move from where they are now toward concrete, manageable goals.
She draws on client-centered methods to keep sessions focused on the person's needs and priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques help identify thought and behavior patterns that keep problems going.
Background and approach
Motivational Interviewing is used when someone wants change but feels stuck or unsure how to start. Lara has three years of experience working in both outpatient and inpatient settings as well as employee assistance programs. That background gives her familiarity with workplace stress, job-related problems, and situations where quick, practical strategies are helpful.
She also supports people facing family conflict, blended family issues, and caring for a partner with a substance problem. In sessions she favors plain language and short, achievable steps. That can include strategies for anger management, coping with mood swings, improving sleep, or addressing substance and process addictions.
The work often mixes brief skills practice with longer conversations about personal history and patterns. People who choose her can expect a partnership model. She helps set goals, tracks progress, and adjusts plans as needs change.
Sessions are conversational and focused on what will make daily life better.
What Lara works with
Everything Lara lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Lara's practice.
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Blended family issues
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family problems
- HIV / AIDS
- Intellectual disability
- Money and financial issues
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self-harm
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Lara lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that guide online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy places the person's concerns and goals at the center of each session, letting the therapist follow what matters most to the client and adjust the pace accordingly. This approach helps when someone needs a supportive space to talk through anger, relationship stress, or life changes.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It provides step-by-step strategies to test unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors, which is useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and anger management.
Motivational Interviewing supports people who want change but feel unsure or stuck. It uses open questions and reflection to build motivation and clarify the next practical steps, often alongside other techniques.
Choosing the right approach is a joint process. The therapist will talk with the client about their goals, try methods that fit those goals, and adjust based on what works. That collaboration helps shape a plan that feels realistic and meaningful.
Online formats like video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text messaging offer flexibility for busy schedules. Video is good for deeper conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or a silent check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging make it easier to fit short check-ins into a break or to get quick guidance between sessions.
Questions people ask about Lara
What concerns does Lara commonly address?
She helps with anger, addictions, anxiety, depression, bipolar concerns, trauma, stress, and related issues such as sleep problems, self-harm, and relationship strain.
What is Lara's therapeutic style?
She uses a collaborative, client-centered approach and combines it with cognitive behavioral tools and motivational interviewing to set goals and practice skills.
What kinds of work background does she have?
Lara has three years of experience in outpatient and inpatient settings and within employee assistance programs, giving her experience with workplace and clinical concerns.
What credentials and region are listed?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, practicing in Florida.
Can sessions be conducted in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging for online work.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin therapy with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.