- Stress and anxiety
- Family of origin
- CBT and solution-focused
About Lawrence
Lawrence Matheny is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Virginia with 34 years of experience. He works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar symptoms, addictions, relationship and family concerns, grief, parenting strains, and issues tied to trauma and abuse. He also addresses family of origin issues and caregiver stress.
Before moving into private practice he spent decades in psychiatric hospitals and in community mental health and substance abuse settings. That experience includes work with people facing serious and persistent mental illnesses as well as those coping with addiction. He also has a long background in pastoral ministry and holds a master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry in addition to his master’s in Counseling.
In sessions he treats the person as the expert on their life and focuses on practical steps clients can try between meetings. He draws on Client-Centered and Cognitive Behavioral techniques to notice patterns, adjust unhelpful thinking, and test small changes. Solution-Focused work supports concrete goals and next steps when a client wants faster, goal-directed progress.
He is comfortable discussing faith when that matters to a client, and he has worked with people of many faiths and with no faith. That background can be useful when family expectations, religious roles, or moral questions shape a problem.
People often come to him wanting clearer boundaries, less reactivity with family members, or help breaking patterns learned in childhood. He offers straightforward conversation, practical coping skills, and collaborative planning to help clients move toward better day-to-day functioning.
Therapeutic approaches and online sessions
Lawrence commonly uses Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in his work. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening, reflecting, and helping clients use their own understanding to guide change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical skills to shift unhelpful patterns.He also draws on Solution-Focused Therapy when clients want concrete goals and short-term steps. That approach narrows in on what would look different if a problem were partly solved and builds small, testable actions to move forward.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. He will discuss options with each person, consider their goals and preferences, and adapt methods as therapy progresses. The aim is to pick strategies that fit a client's situation and that they feel able to try between sessions.
Session formats are not listed in his biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. In practice the focus is on using approaches that help with family patterns, anxiety, addictions, grief, or parenting concerns while fitting therapy into day-to-day schedules.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
34+ years
Listed in
Virginia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does he commonly work with?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar symptoms, addictions, relationship and family concerns, parenting, grief, and trauma-related issues.
What is his therapy style like?
He uses a practical, client-centered approach that emphasizes the client's perspective and actionable steps between sessions.
How much experience does he have?
He has 34 years of clinical experience, including work in psychiatric hospitals and community mental health and substance abuse settings.
What credentials does he hold and where is he based?
He holds LPC and LMFT credentials and practices in Virginia.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does he see international clients?
He does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for and what about cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.