Laura Leatherman , LCSW

Laura Leatherman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who brings 12 years of experience to counseling. She focuses on practical steps people can use to manage anxiety, depression, anger, and stress. Her approach is warm and respectful, and she works to build a real connection with each person.

Laura uses straightforward methods that help people tackle specific problems. She often draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to identify unhelpful thoughts and shift behaviors. She also uses solution-focused techniques to set clear goals and track progress over time.

Her experience spans outpatient counseling, hospital settings, a residential program, and an emergency shelter. That variety shaped how she helps people cope with life changes, trauma, and relationship conflict. She supports people navigating parenting challenges, blended family issues, and caregiver stress.

Clients come for a range of concerns including sleep trouble, career stress, social anxiety, and self-esteem struggles. Laura also works with people dealing with pregnancy and childbirth concerns, midlife questions, and issues common to young adults. She pays attention to the practical steps someone can take between sessions.

In sessions she aims to listen without judgment and tailor work to each person's goals. She prioritizes a steady working relationship and clear, achievable plans. Laura is based in Virginia and provides counseling in English.

How Laura's Approaches Work Online

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting relationship so the person feels heard and understood; it helps when someone wants a counselor who follows their pace and priorities.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and uses simple exercises to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and change unhelpful patterns.

Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on clear, short-term goals and small steps that lead to measurable progress, which can be useful for managing parenting stress, career decisions, or life transitions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, needs, and preferred pace. That choice can shift as the work progresses, and sessions will focus on what is most useful for the moment.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video is helpful when visual cues matter, phone calls work well if bandwidth is limited, live chat and text messaging suit quick check-ins or when someone prefers a written format. These options let people fit sessions into busy schedules and stay connected from different locations.