Laura Lininger, LCSW

Laura Lininger, LCSW, has spent over three decades helping people manage big life stresses. She trained at Indiana University for a BA in psychology and earned a Master of Social Work from Tulane University. Her long clinical career includes work with children and adolescents and later with adults. Laura draws on that full range of experience when people bring family and childhood concerns into adult life.

She often helps people coping with anxiety, stress, depression, trauma, and changes in life roles. Laura also supports people dealing with relationship and family issues, substance concerns, identity questions, and struggles with self-worth. She works with clients from the LGBTQ community and with people facing gender dysphoria.

In sessions she blends practical skills with trauma-focused work. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot and change unhelpful thinking and behavior. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy shows up as values-based goal setting and learning to act despite hard feelings.

Laura also incorporates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing when trauma memories are a focus, and she includes mindfulness practices to help with stress and grounding. Her background in child and adolescent therapy informs how she addresses family of origin issues in adult work. She aims to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where people can talk through what matters most.

People who prefer straightforward guidance and concrete tools may find her style helpful. She invites clients to set goals together and to try small, doable steps between sessions.

Therapeutic approaches and how they translate online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy emphasizes identifying personal values and taking committed action even when feelings are difficult. Online sessions can use ACT exercises and values work to help clients set meaningful short-term goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on noticing and changing patterns of thinking and behavior with concrete tools. CBT methods like thought records, behavioral experiments, and structured skill practice adapt well to online sessions and homework between meetings.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about their concerns, goals, and what feels comfortable. Decisions about which methods to use are made collaboratively and can shift as progress is made.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current options before booking. Many people find online work helpful because it can fit into a busy day, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when that works best. Online sessions also let clients use written worksheets, screen-sharing for skill practice, and receive follow-up exercises to try between meetings. Ask about format options when scheduling so sessions can be arranged to fit daily routines.