- Guilt and shame focus
- CBT and ACT methods
- Relationship communication
About Laurie
Laurie Jo McDonnell is a Florida LMFT with 25 years of professional experience. She works with adults who are dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, family conflict, grief, and depression. Laurie sees each person as the expert on their own life and builds on their existing strengths.
Her approach is straightforward and practical. She uses client-centered methods to listen and reflect what matters most to the client. She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to identify unhelpful thought patterns and acceptance and commitment therapy to help clients clarify values and take meaningful action.
When relationships are central to the difficulty, she uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy and ideas from the Gottman Method to look at patterns between partners and improve communication. Laurie helps people talk through family of origin issues, abandonment concerns, caregiver stress, and the particular strains that come with chronic illness or aging.
Sessions focus on what the person wants to change and what has already worked for them. She encourages small, manageable steps toward clearer choices and better daily routines. Laurie pays attention to how grief, codependency, emptiness, and avoidance can shape decisions and relationships.
Her work is practical and collaborative. She asks questions, offers reflections, and suggests exercises people can try between meetings. People who come with questions about divorce, blended family challenges, dependent personality patterns, or communication problems will find focused attention on concrete ways to move forward.
Approaches used in online sessions
Laurie draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on noticing thoughts and choosing actions that align with personal values, often helpful for anxiety and chronic stress. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to name and test unhelpful thinking patterns and to practice concrete behavior changes that reduce distress. When relationships are central, Emotionally-Focused Therapy ideas inform work on how emotions and interaction patterns shape connection and conflict.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She will talk with the client about what feels most relevant and try methods that match the person's goals and preferences. Decisions about techniques and focus evolve together as progress and needs become clearer.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and reduce travel time. Therapists can suggest short exercises to do between meetings and adjust session length or structure to fit a client's schedule without promising any specific format.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, family conflict, grief, and depression, plus related issues such as abandonment and caregiver stress.
How would she approach guilt or shame?
She uses client-centered listening alongside CBT and ACT techniques to notice unhelpful thoughts and explore values that matter to the client.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of professional experience working with adults on relationship and emotional concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Florida LMFT and practices in Florida.
Does she work in other languages or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered for meetings.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.