Shari Lightfield , LPC

Shari Lightfield acknowledges that beginning the search for a counselor is one of the most difficult steps toward improving mental health and she commends anyone who takes that step. She welcomes the opportunity to accompany people on their journey and values the trust that comes with being considered for that role.

Her clinical background includes work in individual, group, and family therapy across both residential and outpatient settings within community mental health agencies. That experience informs a therapeutic stance that emphasizes positivity, personal strengths, and a person-centered orientation, meeting each client where they are and building from existing resources.

Shari weaves a range of evidence-informed techniques into her work, drawing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, mindfulness-informed approaches, existential ideas, eco-psychology perspectives, positive psychology, strength-based methods, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is open to incorporating nontraditional tools and tailored exercises when those approaches better serve an individual’s healing and growth.

For Shari, the therapeutic relationship is a distinct kind of connection that requires authenticity, clear communication, mutual respect, commitment, and the development of trust. She honors the effort it takes to find the right fit and supports clients as they move forward toward their goals.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Work

Attachment-Based Therapy emphasizes the ways early and ongoing relational patterns shape current emotions and expectations. In online sessions this approach helps clients explore attachment needs, address patterns in close relationships, and build more secure ways of relating to others.

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the client’s own goals and experience, offering empathic listening and unconditional positive regard. It helps people clarify values, increase self-understanding, and make choices that reflect their authentic priorities.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT offers practical strategies for managing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress by identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and practicing alternative responses.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Shari works with clients to identify which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and may combine elements from different models to create an individualized plan.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging provides flexibility for scheduling and access from different locations. These options allow licensed professionals to offer consistent support while accommodating varied communication styles and day-to-day demands.