Tamara Banks , LPC

Tamara Banks is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with more than two decades of experience in the counseling field. She holds a Master of Science in Counseling and an Educational Specialist degree in Counselor Supervision from Marshall University Graduate College, and she also serves as an adjunct professor at that institution. In addition to her LPC credential, she has earned certifications including National Board Certified Counselor status, school counseling credentials, and training in violence, loss, and trauma counseling, reflecting a broad background in clinical and educational settings.

Throughout her career, Tamara has worked with clients across the lifespan, from school-aged children to adults, addressing issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, self-esteem struggles, self-harm, PTSD, and trauma. Her clinical work draws on a mix of evidence-informed methods - including cognitive behavioral strategies, solution-focused techniques, client-centered principles, and trauma therapies - which she adapts to fit each person's needs. She aims to combine compassion with directness to help people make practical changes that improve daily functioning and overall quality of life.

Tamara emphasizes the importance of a good therapeutic fit and tailors scheduling around clients' needs when a match is made. She approaches counseling as a collaborative process and seeks to reduce the stigma sometimes associated with seeking help, offering support to guide people through difficult transitions and long-standing concerns.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Tamara Banks integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and trauma-focused therapy into her online practice to meet a range of concerns. Client-centered therapy emphasizes respect, empathy, and collaboration, creating space for clients to explore their values, relationships, and life transitions while the therapist follows the client's lead. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and related difficulties through practical skills and structured work. Trauma-focused therapy offers targeted strategies to address the effects of traumatic experiences and symptoms such as intrusive memories, heightened arousal, and avoidance patterns, helping clients build safety and coping skills over time.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Tamara works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. The initial conversations and brief assessments guide that choice, and adjustments are made as progress unfolds.

Online therapy with Tamara leverages video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexible, accessible care. These formats make it easier for clients to fit sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life changes, and connect with licensed professionals and therapists from home or other convenient locations.