About Lawrence
Lawrence Matheny uses client-centered and solution-focused approaches to guide people through stressful and painful times. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in Virginia. He brings 34 years of experience in mental health and substance use settings.
Lawrence speaks English and draws on a long background in ministry when clients wish to include faith in sessions. He spent much of his career in psychiatric hospitals and community mental health programs.
How Lawrence works
That work included counseling for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, addictions, trauma, and grief. He also has experience with relationship and parenting concerns, caregiver stress, aging issues, and autism spectrum topics. He describes the person as the expert in their own life and helps people use their strengths to move toward goals.
Sessions focus on practical steps, clear goals, and coping strategies. He also integrates trauma-focused methods when past harm affects current functioning. His pastoral ministry background and a master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry complement his master’s in Counseling.
Those experiences inform conversations about faith when clients want that included. Lawrence aims to be straightforward and warm in session and to help people take realistic next steps. People often come for short-term work on specific problems or longer-term support for mood and relationship struggles.
He adapts techniques from cognitive behavioral and solution-focused therapy to match each person’s needs. The goal is clearer thinking, better coping, and improved daily functioning.
Lawrence lists 4 ways of working on the entry:
What Lawrence works with
The areas below are the ones Lawrence selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also listed
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Bipolar disorder
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Grief
- Mood disorders
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self esteem
- Trauma and abuse
Training and background
| Registers | LPC, LMFT |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 34 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Virginia |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How his approaches work online
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and supporting a person to find their own answers. In practice this means the therapist reflects concerns, asks about goals, and helps people notice their strengths and choices. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, targets thinking and behavior patterns that fuel anxiety, depression, and mood swings. It uses structured steps and practical exercises to change unhelpful thoughts and habits.Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss options and try methods that fit the person’s goals and preferences. Over time they review what is helping and adjust the plan together so sessions stay useful and focused.
Online work uses video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make counseling more flexible. Video is helpful for face-to-face conversations and nonverbal cues. Phone calls can be simpler when bandwidth is limited or a quieter call is easier, while live chat and text messaging allow short check-ins or ongoing written support. These formats make it easier to fit therapy around work, family, and caregiving duties while using the same therapeutic approaches discussed above.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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