Lara Peter, LCPC

Lara Peter is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) based in Maryland who focuses on individual therapy for adults. She draws on a decade of hands-on experience as a therapist and emphasizes building a trusting, nonjudgmental relationship where people can speak openly. Lara encourages pacing that feels comfortable so clients can make steady progress toward their goals.

Her background includes work across outpatient, in-home, residential, school, and university settings. That range helped her learn practical ways to support people dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, addictions, and life transitions. She also addresses specific concerns such as ADHD, body image, attachment and abandonment issues, and caregiver stress.

In sessions she uses a person-centered approach and solution-focused techniques, and she also incorporates cognitive behavioral ideas and motivational interviewing when helpful. This means conversations feel collaborative and goal-oriented, with attention to thoughts, behaviors, and what steps move someone forward. Lara listens and reflects what she hears to help clients gain clarity.

Therapy with her often includes straightforward tools and action steps you can try between meetings. She aims to be practical while honoring each person's pace and preferences. People who want a direct yet empathetic therapist tend to find this style useful.

If you want to address issues like career stress, relationship concerns, eating or sleep problems, or coping with midlife changes, Lara offers focused individual work to help clarify next steps and build coping skills.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Client-centered work means the therapist listens closely and reflects back what she hears, helping people notice patterns and decide what matters most. This approach supports emotional clarity and is helpful for issues like grief, low self-esteem, and attachment concerns.

Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical techniques to shift unhelpful patterns. It is often used for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and managing strong emotions.

Motivational interviewing helps people find their own reasons to change and build motivation in a nonpressuring way. It can be useful for addictions, readiness for change, and setting achievable goals.

Choosing an approach is a shared process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together they decide which techniques to try and adjust them over time based on what helps most.

Confirm current session formats before booking, as specific online options are not listed here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a workday, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. They also let people use tools and worksheets during the session so practical skills can be practiced right away.