Lawrence "Larry" Westenberg, LCSW
Practical, experience-based counseling for everyday struggles
Book with LawrenceHow Lawrence works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Illinois
- Years in practice
- 42
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Lawrence
Lawrence "Larry" Westenberg is a licensed clinical social worker with 42 years of counseling experience. He uses a strengths and solutions approach to help people find practical steps forward. Larry focuses on issues such as anger, anxiety, trauma, addiction, depression, and relationship concerns.
He began his career working on a back ward in a state mental hospital. That early work shaped his plainspoken style and his focus on real abilities people already have.
Background and approach
He learned to help by doing and by noticing what actually made a difference for clients. Larry leans on methods that center the person rather than labels. He draws from client-centered ideas, cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, existential thinking, and hypnotherapy.
These tools are adapted to each person's situation rather than applied as rigid rules. Sessions tend to be direct and practical. Larry helps people identify resources they already own, then build small, achievable changes.
He also supports exploration of life meaning, career questions, and identity concerns, including LGBT topics and alternative sexual cultures when relevant. Over four decades he has worked in inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, and crisis settings. He is a published author on belief change, Ericksonian hypnosis, and related topics, and he brings that experience into how he structures sessions and goals.
People who prefer straightforward, experience-based counseling often find his approach comfortable. He aims to help clients use their strengths to manage anger, cope with change, and move toward clearer priorities and better day-to-day functioning.
What Lawrence works with
Everything Lawrence lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Lawrence's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coaching
- ADHD
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
Approaches Lawrence lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-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 work
Client-centered therapy focuses on the person's own experience and aims to make the therapist's role one of listening and support. It helps when someone needs a space to be heard and to clarify their goals. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and teaches practical strategies to change them; it often helps with anxiety, anger, and depression. Mindfulness therapy encourages present-moment awareness and simple practices to reduce reactivity and increase self-control, which can be useful for stress, anger, and coping with life changes.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try methods that fit their preferences, and adjust the plan based on what helps. That means sessions can blend listening, practical skills training, and reflective exercises depending on the need.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls are helpful for face-to-face conversation and reading nonverbal cues. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier when a camera isn’t wanted. Live chat and text-based messaging work for brief check-ins, ongoing support between sessions, or when typing feels more comfortable. These options make it easier to fit counseling into busy schedules and different lifestyles.
Questions people ask about Lawrence
What kinds of problems does this therapist help with?
He works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, addictions, depression, self-esteem, relationship issues, grief, and life changes.
How would you describe his therapy style?
He uses a strengths and solutions model that is direct and practical. Sessions focus on identifying existing resources and building small, doable steps toward change.
What is his professional background?
He has 42 years of counseling experience, including work in inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, and crisis intervention settings.
What credentials and location are on record?
He is an LCSW licensed in Illinois.
In which languages can sessions be held and are international clients taken?
Sessions are offered in English. He does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available for meeting online?
Work can be done via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to therapist availability.