- Practical coping skills
- Support for codependency
- 20 years experience
About Lia
Dr. Lia Willis is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, career strain, and major life changes. She offers steady support for those dealing with grief, anger, compassion fatigue, and struggles around relationships and codependency. Dr. Willis aims to make the first step feel manageable and respectful for each person who reaches out.
She approaches sessions with a simple goal: make it possible to talk without judgment. Conversations focus on what matters now and on concrete steps a person can try between meetings. She encourages people to name their priorities and practice small changes that fit their daily life.
With 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Willis has worked alongside people coping with both physical illness and emotional challenges. That background informs a practical style that mixes evidence-based tools with listening and reflection. She applies approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to tailor work to each person’s needs.
She also has experience addressing topics like caregiver stress, adoption and foster care concerns, aging and geriatric issues, BDSM and kink cultures, domestic violence, family of origin issues, and hospice and end-of-life counseling. Those areas are woven into her listening and treatment planning when they matter to a person’s goals.
Dr. Willis practices in Missouri and conducts sessions in English. She frames therapy as a collaboration - a place to try ideas, track what helps, and adjust as goals evolve.
How these approaches guide online therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on values and small committed actions that move someone toward a life they care about. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening, empathy, and creating a nonjudgmental space where clients lead the conversation and set priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behavior and offers clear strategies to test and change unhelpful patterns.Choosing the right approach is a shared process. Dr. Willis and each client assess goals, preferences, and how comfortable a person feels with different methods. She adapts techniques from the approaches above so work matches a person’s needs rather than forcing one method on everyone.
Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow for faster scheduling of follow-ups or check-ins. If you are considering online work, confirm current session options before booking so you know what formats are offered. The focus will be on practical ways to apply new skills between meetings and to make therapy fit daily routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
Missouri
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Dr. Willis address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, career issues, relationship strain, grief, trauma and related challenges such as codependency and caregiver stress.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is direct and supportive, combining listening with practical tools. Sessions often focus on steps clients can try between meetings.
What is her professional background?
Dr. Willis has 20 years of clinical experience and has worked with people facing both physical illness and emotional difficulties.
What credentials and location should I know about?
She holds an LCSW and practices in Missouri.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can I work with her from outside the United States?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What steps do I take to begin therapy?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.