Lara Shemali, LMHC

Washington · 29 years in practice

Lara Shemali is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in Washington with 29 years of experience.

License and registration

LMHC, Washington: LH60083808 · expires May 2026
NPI: 1740365444 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 29
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.

About Lara

Lara Shemali is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in Washington with 29 years of experience. She focuses on helping people reduce stress, manage anxiety, and work through relationship and trauma-related concerns. She offers practical tools and steady support for people facing depression, low self-esteem, and addiction recovery challenges.

She uses an approach that centers on the person in front of her. Sessions are designed to be open and nonjudgmental so clients can share thoughts and feelings honestly.

Background and approach

Lara draws on Existential therapy ideas to help clients find meaning and face life choices, while also using methods from cognitive and behavior-focused approaches for hands-on symptom work. Her work covers a wide range of issues beyond the core concerns, including attachment and abandonment worries, communication problems, body image, chronic pain and illness, dissociation, and substance use.

She has experience addressing complex presentations where multiple issues overlap and influence each other. Lara understands scheduling can be a barrier. She holds weekday hours and is sometimes available evenings and weekends when possible.

Sessions use several online formats to fit different routines and needs. She aims to partner with each client to build practical strategies and clearer thinking. The focus is on small, achievable changes that ease daily life and support longer-term recovery and emotional growth.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Lara lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Trauma and abuse
Self esteem
Depression
Abandonment
Attachment issues
Avoidant personality
BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
Blended family issues
Body image
Chronic pain, illness, and disability
Co-morbidity
Commitment issues
Communication problems
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
Dissociation
Divorce and separation
Domestic violence
Drug and alcohol addiction
Eating and food-related issues
Emptiness
Family of origin issues
Family problems
Fatherhood issues
Forgiveness
Gender dysphoria
Guilt and shame
HIV / AIDS
Impulsivity
Infidelity
Jealousy
Life purpose
Midlife crisis
Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Money and financial issues
Mood disorders
Multicultural concerns
Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
Postpartum depression
Post-traumatic stress
Pregnancy and childbirth
Prejudice and discrimination
Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self-harm
Self-love
Sex addiction
Sexual dysfunction
Sexuality
Somatization
Traumatic brain injury
Women's issues
Workplace issues
Young adult issues

Approaches Lara names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Existential Therapy looks at life choices, meaning, and personal responsibility. It helps people facing major decisions, loss, or feelings of emptiness by encouraging honest reflection and clearer priorities.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches practical skills for living with difficult thoughts and feelings while moving toward valued goals. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and chronic stress because it focuses on actions that align with what matters to the person.

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, empathetic relationship where the therapist listens without judgment. This approach supports people who need a steady, accepting space to process emotions and build self-understanding.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, then tailor methods over time. Clients and therapist adjust the plan together if something isn’t working.

Online sessions offer practical flexibility. Video calls let you keep face-to-face interaction without traveling. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in fits a busy day. Live chat and text-based messaging provide ongoing support between sessions and can be easier to fit into work or caregiving schedules.

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Questions people ask

What kinds of concerns does Lara help with?

She works with stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, self-esteem problems, and depression. Additional areas include addiction, attachment struggles, body image, and chronic illness.

What is Lara's therapeutic style like?

Her style blends Existential therapy with practical techniques from CBT and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Sessions aim to be open, nonjudgmental, and focused on actionable steps.

How long has she been practicing?

She has 29 years of professional experience working with a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns.

What credential does she hold and where is she based?

She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LMHC, licensed in Washington and practices with that credential.

Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?

Sessions are offered to international clients in English, so people living outside Washington may be able to connect depending on licensure rules.

What session formats are available?

She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.

How are costs handled for sessions?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions operate through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin therapy with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to therapist availability.

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