Anna Claybaugh , LCSW, LICSW

Anna Claybaugh is a licensed clinical social worker with ten years of experience helping people build greater connection, authenticity, and wellbeing in their lives. They bring a direct, compassion-centered style to therapy while remaining warm, relaxed, and nonjudgmental, creating an environment where people who struggle to speak their needs or prioritize themselves can begin to feel seen and capable of change.

Anna works particularly well with people who are highly sensitive, prone to people-pleasing, caregivers and helping professionals, and those coping with critical self-talk. As a queer clinician, they are invested in serving LGBTQIA2S+ clients and people navigating intimacy, relationship challenges, adoption or foster care dynamics, and attachment or abandonment concerns. Their practice also addresses a broad range of difficulties including anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, compassion fatigue, eating and sleeping concerns, parenting and blended family issues, chronic illness and pain, and career or identity transitions.

Anna integrates knowledge of brain science with multiple psychotherapeutic approaches, and holds both LCSW and LICSW credentials - LCSW meaning Licensed Clinical Social Worker and LICSW indicating Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. They have a Master of Social Work from New York University and dual B.A. degrees in Psychology and Gender Studies from Arizona State University. Anna has received training and certifications in Collaborative Problem Solving from Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Attachment Theory.

Grounded in a decolonized, trauma-informed, and compassion-centered framework, Anna aims to help people identify blockages, learn coping skills, and regain the agency to create the life they want. For those experiencing major depression, active suicidal ideation, or who are currently unable to leave their bed or room, Anna recommends seeking a therapist more suited to meet those immediate needs.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Anna integrates Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) into their online practice. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns of relating - it can help with intimacy issues, abandonment concerns, and family or attachment challenges by exploring relational wounds and building new ways of connecting. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, unconditional positive regard, and the client’s own strengths - this approach supports identity exploration, self-esteem, and empowerment by centering the client’s experience and goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to distress - through practical skills and structured work, CBT often helps with anxiety, stress, coping with life changes, and mood regulation.

Finding the best therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Anna and each client work together to choose or combine methods based on the person’s needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds. Licensed professionals tailor the work to support meaningful, realistic change.

Online therapy with Anna offers flexible access through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life transitions, and engage in care from locations across Washington. The focus remains on effective, compassionate treatment that adapts to each person’s life and learning style.