Laura Hennessy, LCSW

Laura Hennessy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in New Jersey with 13 years of experience. She has worked in a nonprofit community mental health center setting and has supported people coping with mental health and substance use concerns. Laura focuses on building engagement and motivation while helping people name and express their feelings without judgment.

She helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. She also supports those facing addiction, trauma and abuse, anger, intimacy-related issues, and major life changes. Common areas she addresses include attachment or abandonment concerns, codependency, communication and control issues, and feelings of emptiness or isolation.

Her approach draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to examine thoughts and behaviors and on Client-Centered Therapy to keep the work grounded in the person's experience. She also uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy to look at relationship patterns, Mindfulness strategies to build present-moment awareness, and Motivational Interviewing to strengthen readiness for change.

In sessions she aims to create a space where feelings are heard and explored. She uses practical conversation, questions, and simple tools to help people make sense of what they are feeling and try small changes. Laura emphasizes collaboration and supports clients as they set realistic goals and practice new responses.

If someone is ready to begin, she encourages taking a first step toward change and offers support to help them move forward at their own pace.

Online approaches that meet you where you are

Laura uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice the thoughts and behaviors that keep them stuck, and then practice small experiments to test new ways of coping. CBT is often helpful for anxiety, depression, mood shifts, and managing addictive urges.

She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening closely and reflecting what someone is feeling so they can better understand themselves and make choices that fit their values. Emotionally-Focused Therapy is used when relationship patterns and attachment concerns are central, helping people identify emotional responses and shift how they connect with others.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Laura treats selection of methods as a collaborative process and will help figure out what fits best based on goals, needs, and preferences. She checks in and adjusts the plan as progress or challenges emerge.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and messaging or chat can fit quick check-ins or shorter reflections between sessions. These options make it easier to schedule therapy around work, caregiving, or other commitments while keeping focus on practical skills and steady progress.