Tara Wells, LCSW

Tara Wells is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, mood concerns, and questions about identity and relationships. She uses straightforward, goal-focused work to help clients find clearer paths forward and feel more steady day to day.

Tara brings eight years as a social worker and about a decade of experience in coaching and counseling. Her background includes work in substance use settings, public schools, community outreach, and collegiate athletics. She runs a small private practice and a mental coaching service geared toward athletes aiming to access their competitive potential.

In sessions she focuses on setting practical goals and building step-by-step plans clients can follow. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, client-centered methods, mindfulness, and trauma-focused approaches to match the work to each person’s needs. That mix lets her shift between skill-building, reflective conversation, and trauma-informed pacing.

Tara pays attention to cultural and identity factors in therapy and practices cultural humility. She supports people navigating LGBT issues, gender dysphoria, body image and eating concerns, and the effects of prejudice and discrimination. She also helps with communication problems, codependency, and relationship or family stress.

Her style is direct but warm. She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. New people interested in messaging or scheduled live chat sessions begin with a short matching questionnaire to get started.

How her approaches work in online sessions

Tara commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and trauma-focused techniques, along with client-centered methods. CBT teaches practical tools to notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors, which can help with anxiety, low mood, and patterns like avoidance. Trauma-focused work helps process painful memories safely and reduce their everyday impact, useful for those coping with past abuse or overwhelming events. Client-centered work emphasizes listening and reflection so the person feels heard and in charge of goals.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Tara collaborates with clients to choose methods that match their goals, pace, and preferences. She adjusts the mix over time based on what helps most, so therapy stays practical and relevant.

Online therapy offers flexibility for different needs. Video calls let people see facial cues and do deeper conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth or motion is an issue. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for brief check-ins, step-by-step coaching, or when someone wants to process between longer sessions. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy schedule and maintain steady contact with a licensed professional.