Tara Wagner , LCSW

Tara Wagner is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Indiana with 12 years of professional experience. She has worked across inpatient and outpatient settings, medication-assisted treatment programs, and academic environments, bringing a wide-ranging skill set to clients facing complex challenges. Tara concentrates on helping adults navigate addictions, trauma and abuse, motivation and self-esteem concerns, and a variety of mental health conditions including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and personality-related difficulties.

Her approach emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion, and she frames therapy around the belief that each person has inherent worth and value. Tara personalizes conversations and treatment plans to match an individual’s needs, drawing on Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and client-centered methods to support change. She has experience treating chemical and behavioral addictions as well as co-occurring disorders, and regularly works with adults 18 and older who face both short- and long-term effects of trauma.

Tara aims to create a collaborative therapeutic relationship that honors each person’s goals and strengths. She recognizes that beginning therapy takes courage and offers steady, tailored support to help clients move toward greater coping, connection, and well-being.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Tara integrates client-centered therapy to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the client’s own goals and values guide the work; this approach helps people build self-understanding and improve relationships. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; CBT is often helpful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. Motivational Interviewing is another tool she employs to enhance internal motivation and resolve ambivalence, which can be especially useful when addressing addictions or readiness for change.

Choosing the right approach is part of the collaborative process. Tara works with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds to ensure the work remains relevant and effective.

Online options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to access a licensed professional from home or during busy days. These modalities offer flexibility in scheduling, support for people who travel or have mobility limits, and more ways to stay connected between sessions, all while allowing therapists and clients to focus on meaningful, practical steps toward change.