Works with
How Lara works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LPC
- Licensed in
- Missouri
- Years in practice
- 10
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Lara
Lara Ashbaugh is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Missouri who uses practical, skills-based approaches to help people manage strong emotions and life challenges. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to teach coping skills and shift unhelpful patterns. Many people come to her for help with anger, stress, anxiety, and mood concerns.
With ten years of experience, she blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and mindfulness into her work to help people notice what matters and act in line with those values.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on clear tools - breathing, grounding, thought tracking, and small behavior changes that add up over time. Her style is warm and collaborative. She aims to listen without judgment and to build on each person’s strengths.
Conversations are direct but supportive, with practical steps a person can try between sessions. She has worked with people facing grief, trauma and abuse, addictions, ADHD, and career or parenting stress. She also offers support around identity issues such as gender dysphoria and LGBT concerns, and helps people dealing with body image, relationships, and family conflict.
People who choose Lara can expect a tailored plan that mixes skill teaching, values-based action, and mindfulness practice. She helps clients set small, achievable goals and checks progress each week. The approach is designed for people who want hands-on strategies to feel more in control and calmer in daily life.
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.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hearing impaired
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Lara lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- 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.
Combining practical therapies for online support
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and take small actions toward those values, even when feelings are intense. It can be useful for managing anger, depression, or life transitions by shifting focus from avoiding feelings to meaningful action. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and better communication skills to reduce impulsive reactions and handle conflicts more effectively. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering step-by-step techniques for anxiety, mood problems, and habit change.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Lara will talk with each person about their goals, try methods that fit their needs, and adjust the plan as progress is made. This collaborative process helps a person learn which tools feel most helpful and when to mix strategies like mindfulness, skill practice, and values-based action.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility in how people connect. Video sessions allow face-to-face interaction for skill demonstrations. Phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a quick check-in is needed. Live chat or text-based messaging can work well for short updates, ongoing coaching, or when someone prefers written check-ins between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule and keep momentum between meetings.
Questions people ask about Lara
What concerns does Lara commonly help with?
She helps people with anger, stress, anxiety, depression, grief, coping with life changes, addictions, ADHD, and related concerns such as body image and relationship communication problems.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is warm and interactive, combining hands-on skill teaching with mindfulness and values-based conversations. Sessions aim to be practical and focused on change.
What experience does she bring?
She has ten years of experience working as a therapist and supervisor and has supported people with trauma, emotional abuse, and mood or behavior challenges.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, practicing in Missouri.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats does she offer?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to match different needs and schedules.
How are costs handled and how do I start?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.