Loraine (Lori) Sawyer, LPCC, LMHC

Loraine (Lori) Sawyer is a Hawaii-based therapist who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and everyday habits that get in the way of feeling well. She works with parents, young adults, and people facing trauma, addictions, sleep problems, anger, or struggles with self-esteem. Lori aims to create a calm, respectful space where clients can talk through what matters most to them.

Lori uses practical strategies drawn from cognitive behavioral approaches to help people notice and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. She pairs that with trauma-focused techniques when past hurts affect daily life. Sessions emphasize small, usable steps so progress feels tangible between appointments.

Across 15 years of practice Lori has supported people dealing with parenting challenges, adoption and foster care concerns, attachment issues, autism-related needs, and young adult transitions. She also addresses mood disorders, panic and obsessive-compulsive patterns, and issues tied to prejudice or discrimination. Her background includes work with parents of children who have special needs and with people coping with compassion fatigue.

Her style is collaborative and strength-focused. She uses motivational interviewing to help clarify goals and build motivation. Solution-focused methods are used to identify workable options and try them out quickly. The goal is to equip clients with skills they can use at home, work, or school.

Lori holds LPCC and LMHC credentials in California and Hawaii. Sessions are conducted in English and are organized so people can fit therapy into busy lives. Prospective clients should confirm current session options and scheduling details when they begin.

How key approaches guide online work

CBT helps people notice the thoughts and habits that keep problems going, and then test new ways of thinking and acting. It is useful for anxiety, mood issues, sleep problems, and everyday habit changes.

Motivational Interviewing focuses on building motivation and clarifying goals. It helps when someone feels stuck or unsure about making changes by exploring values and small next steps.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose which methods to try first, adjust plans based on what helps, and set clear, achievable goals together.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, for example by reducing travel time or allowing shorter check-ins during a work break. Confirm current session options with the therapist before booking so you know whether video, phone, or other formats are offered. Many people find that a consistent schedule and practical homework between sessions helps them make steady progress.