Adriana Lara, LMHC

Adriana Lara is a licensed mental health counselor who helps people manage anxiety, stress, depression, anger, and changes in life. She works with individuals dealing with substance use concerns, parenting stress, ADHD, trauma, family conflict, career questions, and matters related to sexual orientation. Adriana writes and speaks plainly so parents and busy people can read quickly and decide if she might be a fit.

She brings 12 years of clinical experience in both rural and urban settings across Massachusetts and beyond. Adriana earned a Master of Science from the University of Vermont in 2014. Early in her training she supported teens and young adults with substance use and mental health concerns, which shaped her practical approach to treatment.

Her counseling style starts with building a strong rapport. She focuses on listening first and creating a space where people can talk without feeling rushed. Over time she uses tools to identify unhelpful thinking and to develop more realistic thoughts and actions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is a mainstay of her work because it helps people connect thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and try new responses. She blends CBT with client-centered support and solution-focused strategies so sessions feel collaborative and goal oriented.

Adriana also uses motivational interviewing to support change when someone feels stuck. She aims to help people set manageable goals, practice new skills, and notice real progress over weeks and months.

Practical therapy approaches you can use online

Adriana commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy when offering online sessions. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and trying different behaviors to change how someone feels, which is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening, understanding, and supporting the person's own goals so clients feel heard and respected.

She also uses motivational interviewing to help people who feel uncertain about change. This approach helps a person weigh options and find their own reasons to move forward. Adriana treats finding the right approach as a collaboration - she will work with each person to choose strategies that match their needs, goals, and preferences rather than prescribing a single method.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make scheduling easier. Video lets you use visual cues for a deeper conversation, phone can be a lower-bandwidth option, chat is handy for brief check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into school, work, or family routines while keeping the focus on practical steps and steady progress.