Lacey Gaters, MD, LCSW-C

Lacey Gaters, MD, LCSW-C welcomes people who are feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure how to reach their goals. She emphasizes respect, active listening, and a nonjudgmental attitude in early sessions. Lacey asks about what someone hopes to change and what stands in the way, then helps identify small, practical steps forward.

She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test new ways of thinking. Sessions are collaborative rather than prescriptive - she will challenge limiting beliefs and offer tools clients can use between appointments. Mindfulness and solution-focused techniques are also part of her approach when they fit a person’s needs.

Lacey trained in psychology at James Madison University and earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland. She is a licensed clinical social worker in Maryland and also holds an MD. Her background includes work in hospitals and outpatient clinics over 11 years of practice.

Common concerns she supports include anxiety, depression, stress, trauma and abuse, ADHD, parenting challenges, grief, anger, addictions, and self-esteem. She also works with issues related to adoption and foster care, autism and Asperger syndrome, caregiver stress, and multicultural concerns.

Sessions can include practical skill building, behavioral experiments, and mindful coping strategies. Lacey encourages open conversation about what is and isn’t working, and she adapts methods to fit each person’s life and goals.

Practical approaches you can use online

Lacey commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try small behavior changes. CBT can be useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and many everyday challenges because it breaks problems into concrete steps to practice.

She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on listening, respect, and helping a person find their own answers. Mindfulness Therapy is used to build attention and calm, teaching simple breathing and awareness skills that reduce reactivity and improve focus.

Finding the right fit is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and try different techniques to see what helps most. Together they will adjust pace, tools, and session structure to match the client’s needs and preferences.

Online therapy offers flexibility in how people connect. Video calls let the therapist and client work face to face, phone sessions save bandwidth and can be easier on busy days, and live chat or text-based messaging work well for brief check-ins or when typed reflection helps. These options make it simpler to schedule sessions around school, work, or caregiving responsibilities.