Laura Contreras , LMFT

Laura Contreras is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, relationship problems, and parenting strains. She uses clear, practical methods to help clients facing grief, identity struggles, or big life changes. Laura works with adults on self-esteem, career concerns, intimacy issues, and recovery from trauma and abuse.

Laura emphasizes straightforward conversation and concrete goals. She draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to spot unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice what matters to them and build actions that match those values.

Attachment-based ideas guide her work with people who want to understand patterns from past relationships and how those patterns show up now. For couples or partners interested in relationship skills, she incorporates Gottman Method concepts to improve communication and reduce recurring conflict.

Clients can expect short-term strategies and longer-term work depending on their goals. Sessions often include practical homework, skill practice, and real-life problem solving. Laura balances supportive listening with concrete tools people can use between sessions.

She holds an LMFT and practices in Wisconsin. Her approach aims to help people feel steadier and more able to handle everyday stresses and major life shifts.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters most to them and take small committed steps toward those values. Online sessions can focus on noticing thoughts and choosing actions that fit a person's goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical exercises to test new ways of thinking and acting. That work adapts well to video or messaging formats where homework and thought records are shared and reviewed. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationship patterns affect current connections and helps people try new interaction styles in relationships; this can guide role play, communication practice, and reflection during sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist collaborates with the client to pick methods that match goals, pace, and comfort. That might mean starting with short-term skills from CBT, bringing in ACT values work, or using attachment ideas for relationship patterns - and adjusting as progress is made.

Online formats - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - offer practical benefits. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and skill demonstration. Phone calls work when bandwidth is limited or a client prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and messaging can fit shorter check-ins, quick coaching, or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to schedule therapy around work, caregiving, or travel while keeping the focus on consistent, goal-driven progress.