Lacey Gaters, LCSW-C

Lacey Gaters is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, and addictions. She speaks directly to what feels hard right now and focuses on practical steps you can use between sessions. If starting therapy feels scary, she offers a respectful, nonjudgmental space and listens carefully before suggesting next steps.

Her approach centers on working together to clarify goals and barriers. She often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thought patterns and shift behavior. She also draws on client-centered methods to follow each person’s lead and trauma-focused ideas when past events are getting in the way of daily life.

Gaters earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from James Madison University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland. She holds LCSW-C licensure in Maryland and has worked more than 11 years in hospitals and outpatient clinics. That background shaped her practical, hands-on style with real-world tools parents and young adults can use right away.

Sessions aim to build confidence and teach concrete skills for managing mood, anger, attention differences, grief, and relationship struggles. She often helps parents with behavior and communication concerns tied to adoption, foster care, or neurodiversity. The work is collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.

If you want to begin, be prepared to share your goals and what’s getting in the way. She will help map a plan that feels achievable and focused on the changes you want to make.

How Lacey’s Approaches Work Online

Client-centered work focuses on hearing the person’s priorities and shaping sessions around what matters most. It helps when someone needs to be understood first and wants guidance that fits their life rather than a set plan.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. It uses short, clear exercises and homework to test new ways of thinking and behaving, which can help with anxiety, depression, and addictive patterns.

Trauma-focused methods concentrate on identifying how past events affect current functioning and teaching skills to manage strong emotions. This approach is useful when trauma or abuse is part of the problem picture.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or has not helped before. Together they choose methods and adjust them over time so the plan stays useful and realistic.

Confirm which session formats are offered before booking, as the biography does not list specific online options. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy routine, shorten travel time, and allow for focused check-ins during breaks or between appointments. Discuss format choices with the therapist to find what fits everyday life and therapeutic goals.