Lawrence "Larry" Westenberg

Lawrence "Larry" Westenberg is a licensed clinical social worker with 42 years of counseling experience. He takes a strengths-oriented approach and helps people find tools they already have. He is direct and practical, focusing on real changes rather than labels. Larry began his career working on a back ward at a state mental hospital. That early work taught him to look for usable skills in every person, not just diagnoses. He has worked in inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, and crisis intervention settings over the decades. His practice emphasizes trauma, anxiety and panic, attention deficit disorder, relationships, and the search for meaning. He also addresses anger, addictions, grief, self-esteem, and life transitions. Additional focus areas include autism and Asperger syndrome, caregiver stress, BDSM and kink matters, communication and control issues, hospice and end-of-life concerns, and sexual intimacy problems. Larry uses several therapeutic approaches, including client-centered work, cognitive behavioral techniques, existential ideas, hypnotherapy, and mindfulness practices. He aims to help people notice what already helps them, try straightforward steps, and adjust based on results. He has written on belief change, Ericksonian hypnosis, and neuro-linguistic programming. He has a long history of supporting LGBT people and helping people manage alternative lifestyles and workplace concerns. He works from Illinois and conducts sessions in English.

How his approaches translate to online work

Client-centered therapy emphasizes listening and following the client's lead. The therapist creates space to talk through problems, notice strengths, and set practical goals, which helps with concerns like relationships, self-esteem, and coping with change.

Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and testing new behaviors. It is often used for anxiety, anger, and depression by breaking problems into manageable steps and tracking small changes.

Finding the right fit is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and may blend client-centered listening with cognitive techniques or mindfulness. Together they decide which methods feel most helpful and adjust over time based on progress and feedback.

Confirm the available session options before booking, as formats were not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to schedule appointments around daily life, shorten check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also lets people continue therapy while managing work, caregiving, or other obligations, so sessions can fit more naturally into a busy routine.