Loraine (Lori) Sawyer, LPCC, LMHC

About Loraine

Loraine (Lori) Sawyer is a Hawaii-licensed therapist who aims to help parents and individuals facing stress, anxiety, and parenting challenges. She writes plainly and listens closely so people can talk through daily struggles. Lori uses practical tools and steady support to help people manage overwhelming feelings and make small changes that matter.

She brings 15 years of experience, and holds LPCC and LMHC credentials. Lori has worked with people dealing with depression, trauma and abuse, addictions, bipolar issues, sleeping problems, anger, and attention concerns.

Background and approach

She also focuses on adoption and foster care, attachment issues, autism and Asperger Syndrome, and young adult issues. Her style blends cognitive behavioral techniques with trauma-focused ideas and solution-focused work. That means sessions include identifying unhelpful thoughts, practicing new coping steps, and setting short-term, achievable goals.

She also uses motivational interviewing to support change when people feel stuck. Lori emphasizes empathy, respect, and collaboration. She aims to make sessions practical and straightforward, with tools families can try between meetings.

Her experience includes supporting parents of children with special needs and young adults recovering from trauma. People meet with her to address relationship concerns, grief, self-esteem, OCD and panic, prejudice and discrimination, or to build better communication. She helps clients notice strengths, shift patterns, and try different approaches to everyday problems.

Approaches and online care that fit busy families

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing new ways of thinking and behaving. It helps with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and managing intense emotions by teaching practical skills and step-by-step exercises. Motivational Interviewing is a conversational method that helps people find their own reasons to change when they feel stuck, and it supports goals like managing addictions or lifestyle adjustments.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Lori collaborates with each person to pick methods that match their needs, goals, and comfort level. She checks in regularly and adjusts the mix of strategies as progress happens, so therapy stays focused and useful.

Online sessions make it easier to fit help into busy family life. Video calls let people work face-to-face from home, phone sessions provide a simple alternative, and live chat or text messaging offer shorter, flexible check-ins. These options support consistent contact, easier scheduling, and the ability to use tools and homework between sessions.

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.

Motivational Interviewing

A way of working through mixed feelings about change without being pushed. The therapist helps you weigh things up and find your own reasons, which often makes a difficult decision feel less stuck.

Solution-Focused Therapy

Rather than examining the problem at length, this looks at what is already working and builds on it. Sessions tend to be practical and forward-looking, with small achievable steps, which translates readily to shorter online conversations.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Lori address?

She works with stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, addictions, bipolar symptoms, sleeping problems, anger, self-esteem, ADHD, and related concerns listed in her profile.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her approach is practical and collaborative, using cognitive behavioral work, trauma-focused ideas, solution-focused planning, and motivational interviewing to set achievable goals and teach coping skills.

What is her clinical background?

Lori has 15 years of experience working with parents, young adults, and people affected by trauma and a range of mood and anxiety concerns.

Where is she licensed and based?

She is licensed in Hawaii with LPCC and LMHC credentials, listed as CA LPCC 17146 and HI LMHC 470 in her profile.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging as ways to meet online.

How are sessions billed or priced?

Cost varies by location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Trauma and abuse

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 15 years
Licensed: Hawaii, California
Languages: English

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