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Calm has teamed up with Grow Therapy to connect you with a mental health therapist who accepts your health insurance.

John Lara

LPC, 10 years of experience

Solution oriented
Empowering
Authentic
Virtual
Next available on

About me

I am a trauma informed, Clinical Mental Health Counselor licensed in the state of Arizona and a Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. I work with clients from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and concerns including: ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, depression, trauma, phase of life issues, addictions, and relationship issues. I have experience working with the general population, veterans, active duty members and first responders. My training and experience is in traditional modalities along with a specialty on holistic brain health coaching. I have been trained as a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) specialist through the AZ Governor's Council on Spinal and Head Injuries and a Certified Brain Health Coach through the Amen Clinic's. https://www.amenclinics.com/ My therapy style is to be approachable and interactive. I believe in treating everyone with empathy and compassion. My approach combines brain health, holistic, cognitive-behavioral, person centered, and psychodynamic. I believe in empowering the client to develop their treatment plans to meet their own unique and specific needs and goals. I am committed to help you explore, develop, and use the tools to help you find a better quality of life. I am here to support and empower you to take charge of your past, present and future. I look forward to working with you! Improvise, adapt, overcome!

Get to know me

In our first session together, here's what you can expect

Our first session will be used to build rapport and gather important background information necessary to develop plans, goals and to set up a workable therapy schedule.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

Having experienced and overcome many adversities in my own life, I feel I have the knowledge, tools and skills to help you find your own path to wellness. My approach from a brain healthy lifestyle has helped others who were not getting results from more traditional methods.

The clients I'm best positioned to serve

I love working with people who are open to alternative, holistic, evidenced based solutions that involve understanding how our physical brains and bodies are intricately connected and essential for good mental health. I love working with people who are passionate and committed fully to doing the work necessary to heal themselves.

Specialties

Top specialties

Couples Counseling
Military/Veterans
Trauma and PTSD

Other specialties

Anger Management
Depression
Domestic Violence
Grief
Men's Issues
Older Adults
Self Esteem

I identify as

Hispanic / Latinx
Man

Serves ages

Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)

My treatment methods

Mind-body approach

In my treatment practice, I use a mind-body approach to address the interconnectedness of mental and physical health. This holistic approach recognizes that the mind and body are deeply linked, meaning that emotional, mental, and spiritual health can directly influence physical well-being, and vice versa.

Trauma Informed Care

Written Exposure Therapy: Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is a brief, 5-session psychotherapy—or talk therapy—for PTSD. WET can help you find new ways to think about a traumatic experience and what it means to you. Writing about what you were thinking and feeling during the event and then talking with your provider about the writing session can help you get relief from PTSD symptoms.

Dialectical Behavior (DBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps people learn to manage their emotions and improve their relationships.

Person-centered (Rogerian)

Person-centered therapy, also known as client-centered or Rogerian therapy, is a type of psychotherapy where the client does most of the talking and the therapist focuses on active listening and empathy. The therapist's role is to help the client understand their own thoughts and feelings, and to accept and support them without judgment.

Mindfulness-Based Therapy

Mindfulness therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on teaching individuals to be fully present in the moment, actively noticing and accepting their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment, with the goal of managing stress, regulating emotions, and improving overall mental well-being; it often incorporates meditation and other mindfulness practices into therapeutic sessions

Location

Virtual

Licensed in

Arizona

Accepts

Aetna
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
All Savers
Anthem
Blue Cross Blue Shield
AvMed
Cash - $80 per session
Cigna
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Evernorth
GTEB
Golden Rule
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Surest (formerly Bind)
Tufts Health/Cigna
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
, 4 ratings

1 rating with written reviews

March 10, 2025

Looking forward to working with you

Verified client, age 45-54

Review shared after session 1 with John