Lacey Gaters, LCSW-C

Lacey Gaters welcomes people who are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start. She acknowledges the courage it takes to reach out and focuses on what the client wants to change. Sessions are shaped to fit each person rather than a fixed model, and she emphasizes respect, listening, and a nonjudgmental attitude in the room.

Lacey uses practical tools to help people move toward their goals. She often works on changing unhelpful thinking patterns to change behavior. She also draws on mindfulness and solution-focused ideas to help with immediate problems and coping in daily life. Trauma-focused approaches are used when past hurt affects current functioning.

She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland and is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical in Maryland. Across more than 11 years in hospitals and outpatient clinics, she has supported people facing depression, anxiety, stress, ADHD, and mood concerns. She has experience with issues related to adoption and foster care, autism and Asperger syndrome, caregiver stress, and young adult challenges.

Lacey has worked with children, adolescents, parents, and young adults on behavioral concerns, family conflict, and school-related struggles. She also addresses grief, anger, addictions, self-harm, and communication problems when these bring people into counseling.

If someone is unsure how therapy will look, she explains that sessions will be tailored to the person’s needs and comfort. She invites openness about what a person is experiencing and supports building skills and confidence to manage everyday life.

How her approaches translate to online work

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and reflecting back what matters to you. It emphasizes respect and collaboration so the therapist follows your lead and helps you name goals. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses clear steps to try new responses to old patterns. These approaches can help with anxiety, mood changes, stress, ADHD challenges, and everyday coping.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with you about your goals and what feels comfortable, then try methods that match those needs. This is a shared process and adjustments are made over time based on what helps you make progress.

Session formats are not listed in the biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. They also let people use mindfulness exercises and practical CBT tools during regular routines, which can make new skills easier to practice between meetings.