Clarissa Lane, LCSW

Clarissa Lane is a licensed clinical social worker in Virginia with eight years of professional experience. She helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, or low self-esteem. Her approach is straightforward and respectful. She encourages small steps that feel doable.

Clarissa centers the client’s own perspective. She uses conversation to identify what’s working and what gets in the way. Together they set practical goals and try out tools that fit daily life. She aims to make sessions feel like a focused, calm place to sort out what matters most.

She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thinking and test new behaviors. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy to keep the work grounded in the client’s priorities and pace. When trauma is present she may incorporate EMDR strategies and mindfulness skills to reduce distress and build tolerance for difficult memories.

Clarissa often works on common relationship struggles, communication problems, and anger management by teaching concrete skills. She also supports people facing life transitions, caregiving and hospice-related concerns, addiction questions, and issues around aging and body image. Her style is collaborative and practical.

Sessions are conversational and task-focused. People can expect honest feedback, simple exercises to try between sessions, and clear steps for measuring progress. Clarissa encourages clients to take their time and to shape therapy around their goals.

Approaches that translate well to online work

CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and test small behavior changes in daily life; it is useful for anxiety, low mood, and stress. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person’s own goals and pace, offering a supportive, nonjudgmental space to talk things through. Dialectical Behavior Therapy provides practical skills for emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness, which can be practiced between sessions to manage intense feelings.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work together with the client to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative process may include trying an approach for a few sessions and adjusting based on how it feels and what helps.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can fit into a busy day or require less bandwidth. Live chat and text-based messaging are helpful for short check-ins, quick skill rehearsals, or when typing feels easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to keep continuity of care and practice new skills in real life.