Brenda Lauer, LPC

Brenda Lauer is a Licensed Professional Counselor with more than 15 years of experience in private practice. She sees clients from many backgrounds and aims to meet people where they are. Brenda works part time, typically on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays in the afternoon hours on Eastern Standard Time.

Her approach is gentle and warm. She listens first, then helps people expand how they view a problem. Sessions emphasize respect, compassion, and empathy so clients feel understood while they talk through hard topics.

Brenda uses a mix of methods tailored to each person. She draws from cognitive behavioral techniques, acceptance and commitment ideas, emotion-focused work, and solution-focused strategies. She avoids one-size-fits-all plans and builds a path that fits a client's goals and rhythm.

She has worked with people experiencing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and attention differences, among other concerns. Her additional focus areas include grief, anger, body image, caregiving stress, chronic illness, adoption and foster care issues, and sexual concerns such as sexual dysfunction.

Brenda also supports people who identify with kink and alternative sexual cultures and those dealing with attachment or relationship communication problems. Her practice is based in Missouri and she offers services in English, including work with international clients when appropriate.

How her approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often called ACT, helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on values and small steps toward a life that matters to the person. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thinking and behavior and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful habits. Emotionally-Focused Therapy centers on understanding emotions and how they shape connections and communication.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences, and try different tools to see what fits best. Together they decide whether to emphasize acceptance, skills work, emotional processing, or a mix.

The biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm current session options before booking. In general, online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets people keep regular momentum with therapy when schedules or location make in-person visits difficult. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT, CBT, and emotion-focused techniques to work in remote sessions, and Brenda will help choose what works for each person.