01 · Who Lara works with

Lara works with stress, Anxiety, grief and eating disorders

Lara lists 16 specialisms and 35 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Lara chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Lara's own words

What Lara says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Finding the right fit with a counselor matters, just like any other healthy relationship. It is of the utmost importance to feel supported and understood by your therapist; that you feel you can talk about everything and anything that you need or want to without fear of judgment. It may be helpful for you to know that I have also been the client in the therapeutic relationship and I understand the courage it takes to be vulnerable with another person. We will go at your pace in our work together so that the process is just as impactful as the destination.

My name is Lara Peter and I am a licensed therapist (LCPC), a Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH), a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and a Board Approved Clinical Supervisor in Professional Counseling (ACS). I have both a B.A. and M.A. in Psychology. All of that alphabet soup aside, I have 15 years of experience in the field of mental health; 10 of those years as a therapist providing individual, family, and group therapy. I have had clients as young as 4 and through the lifespan; however, I specialize in providing individual therapy to adults. I have worked in a variety of settings including outpatient, in-home, residential, public school and universities.

I believe my role as a therapist to be like that of a sponge and a mirror. I soak in what you share with me during our conversations together and reflect back to you your disclosures to foster greater self-awareness and insight into the root of the concern. My theoretical orientation is foundationally person-centered and solution-focused; however, I am eclectic in my interventions and draw from an array of theoretical approaches to best meet your needs. What this means is that I take an empowering non-judgmental stance to my work and will not only listen but also provide you with feedback, tools, and resources to help you actively achieve your goals.

I believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to counseling and I creatively partner with you to help bring about the changes you seek. I find building therapeutic relationships with my clients to be very fulfilling and genuinely appreciate the trust placed in me with the intimate details of your life. Thanks for taking the time to read a bit about me and I look forward to hearing more from you!

Lara Peter, on the BetterHelp listing · read 8 Nov 2026

03 · How Lara works

The 4 approaches Lara lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Lara lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Lara's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Lara runs a session.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Lara practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Lara's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Lara at this point.

2. Naming Lara specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Lara is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Lara.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

3 questions worth asking Lara

Built from what Lara actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Lara's - Lara has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCPC

Licensed in

Maryland

Licence

MD LCPC LC6145

Licence number

LC6145

Licence expires

31 Jan 2027

NPI

1003298845

Years in practice

10

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Lara's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 8 Nov 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Lara. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.