Laura Shaw
Compassionate, practical support for parenting challenges
- Credentials
- LMFT
- Experience
- 24 years
- Licensed in
- California
- Languages
- English
- Format
- Online sessions
About Laura
Laura Shaw is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She has 24 years of experience working with people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, or changes in life. She also supports concerns around parenting, self-esteem, motivation, and confidence.
Her tone is calm and straightforward, aimed at parents who need clear, practical help. She aims to make sessions feel open and nonjudgmental. Clients are invited to say what matters most to them.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on practical steps and honest conversation rather than medical jargon. The goal is to help people move toward a more satisfying daily life. In her practice she uses client-centered methods that let the person lead the pace and focus.
She also draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thinking and try small experiments that can change feelings and behavior. These approaches are presented in plain language during sessions. Laura pays attention to relationship patterns and attachment concerns when relevant.
She is comfortable addressing caregiver stress, communication problems, divorce and separation, and grief-related issues. She listens for what is most urgent and works with clients to set manageable goals. Sessions are offered in English and follow California licensing standards for an LMFT.
She encourages people to take the first step when they are ready and supports practical change over time.
Therapeutic approaches and online sessions that fit family life
Client-centered therapy is about making the client the guide. The therapist listens closely, reflects what is said, and follows the client’s priorities. This approach helps when someone needs a safe space to sort feelings and decide what matters next.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts, feelings, and actions together. It helps people spot patterns of thinking that create stress or low mood and then try small changes to test new ways of coping. CBT is useful for worry, low confidence, and stress that affects daily routines.
Finding the right approach is treated as a collaboration. The therapist will discuss options, try different ideas, and adjust plans based on the client’s goals and preferences. Decisions about techniques and pace are made together so the work feels relevant and doable.
Online therapy offers flexibility for busy families and caregivers. Sessions can happen by video or phone, and shorter check-ins are possible through live chat or text-based messaging. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a packed schedule while keeping consistent contact with a licensed professional.
Client-Centered Therapy
The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Parenting issues
Also works with
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 24 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English
Next step
Talk to Laura
- Takes a few minutes
- Nothing to set up just to look
- Stop at any point