Kiara Laster, LCSW

Kiara Laster is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and the impact of past trauma. She grounds sessions in practical steps and clear goals so parents and caregivers can find relief and regain day-to-day functioning. Her style is direct and compassionate, aiming to make therapy feel useful from the first meetings.

Kiara draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness techniques, and solution-focused strategies to break problems into manageable parts. She helps people notice patterns in thinking and behavior, practice simple skills, and try small experiments that can shift how they feel. Sessions move at a steady pace and emphasize tools that can be used between meetings.

Her background includes four years working in community mental health settings across California. That work involved supporting people through depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and relationship strain. The hands-on experience shaped her practical approach and her preference for concrete, doable interventions.

Kiara also uses motivational interviewing and narrative methods to help clients clarify values and rewrite unhelpful stories about themselves. These approaches support change when someone feels stuck or unsure about next steps. She tailors techniques to each person’s situation and pace.

Therapy with Kiara typically focuses on measurable goals, skill-building, and reducing daily stressors. People who want straightforward guidance and tools to try between sessions often find this approach helpful. She offers care in English and works with adults in California.

Practical approaches for online therapy

Kiara frequently uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and change the behaviors that keep problems going. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress because it focuses on concrete steps and measurable progress. She also uses Mindfulness Therapy to teach simple attention and breathing practices that reduce reactivity and increase present-moment awareness. These skills often help with worry and emotional overwhelm.

Motivational Interviewing is another tool she brings to the work; it focuses on clarifying personal goals and finding internal motivation to make changes. This approach is helpful when someone feels stuck or uncertain about next steps. Kiara aims to match methods to each person’s needs and will discuss which mix of approaches feels right during the first sessions so the plan fits the client’s goals.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video allows for face-to-face connection and skill coaching, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging are useful for brief check-ins, ongoing skill practice, or people who prefer written communication. The variety makes it easier to fit sessions into a busy life and try different ways of working until the right fit is found.