Lacey Schmitt

Lacey Schmitt is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) in Iowa with six years of clinical experience. She focuses on mood disorders, trauma and abuse, grief, and coping with life changes. Her work also includes stress, anxiety, sleep problems, self-esteem, career questions, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, and ADHD.

She has substantial experience in hospice settings and has supported adults and older adults through end-of-life concerns and caregiver stress. That background shapes how she talks about grief, chronic illness, and the practical impacts of major transitions. She also addresses issues such as abandonment, body image, chronic pain and illness, and isolation.

In sessions she draws from several approaches so she can use what fits a person’s needs. She uses client-centered methods to listen and understand. She pairs that with cognitive behavioral techniques to identify thinking patterns and practical steps to change them.

When trauma is present she can use EMDR approaches alongside other tools to address distress tied to past events. Motivational interviewing shows up when people want help finding direction or making changes. Existential ideas come into play for those asking about purpose and meaning after life shifts.

Her style is described as down-to-earth and straightforward. She aims for clear, honest communication and works collaboratively to identify goals and next steps. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session through the site.

How her approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy centers on listening and reflecting so a person can describe what matters most. Online sessions use that same attention to help clarify priorities and surface what feels stuck. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that maintain problems and trying small experiments to change them; it is practical and fits well into brief, regular online check-ins. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is used for trauma-related distress and involves structured processing of traumatic memories with guided attention techniques. When EMDR is part of the plan, the therapist explains the steps and adapts them for remote work.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods to try first and will adjust based on how those approaches land. That collaborative process helps match tools to goals, whether someone is focused on grief, career questions, or anxiety management.

Confirm which session formats are offered before booking, as this profile does not list specific options. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. They also let people use audio-only or lower-bandwidth options when video is difficult. Practical scheduling and format details are provided during the matching and scheduling steps.