Claire LeMay, LISW

Claire believes compassion, collaboration, and a strong therapeutic relationship are essential to meaningful change. She takes a trauma-informed approach to therapy, creating a supportive environment where clients can safely explore emotional pain, better understand themselves, and develop new ways of responding to life’s challenges.

Claire integrates evidence-based approaches including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, she works collaboratively with each client to understand patterns of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors while exploring the experiences that may be contributing to current difficulties. Her goal is to help clients develop greater insight, emotional flexibility, and practical skills they can carry into their daily lives.

Education & Experience

Claire earned her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Iowa, graduating with honors in social work and completing a minor in sociology. She earned her Master of Social Work in 2017.

Much of Claire’s early clinical experience was in outpatient addiction medicine, where she worked with individuals experiencing substance use concerns alongside mental health challenges and trauma. This experience strengthened her understanding of the complex ways trauma, emotional distress, relationships, and coping strategies can intersect.

Claire began providing psychotherapy in private practice in 2024. In 2025, she completed training in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) through Non Ordinary Therapy and began supporting clients incorporating ketamine into their therapeutic work.

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Claire approaches Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy as an individualized and collaborative process. Treatment begins with preparation sessions focused on getting to know you, understanding what brings you to KAP, and clarifying what you hope to gain from the experience.

Your goals may include working with specific past experiences or trauma, shifting long-standing emotional patterns, gaining a different perspective on your life, or becoming more connected with yourself. Claire works with you to develop an approach that provides support and structure while allowing space for your own experience to unfold.

When clients have an established therapist, Claire welcomes collaboration with that provider when appropriate and with your consent. This can help integrate the KAP experience into your ongoing therapeutic work and provide greater continuity of care. The number and frequency of preparation, medicine, and integration sessions are individualized and discussed with you throughout treatment.

Couples, Partner & Relationship Therapy

Claire also works with couples, partners, family members, and other pairs who want to strengthen communication, deepen connection, repair relational difficulties, or better understand the patterns developing between them.

Relationship therapy begins with an initial session together, followed by an individual meeting with each person. Claire then helps both people establish a stronger foundation for their relationship. Early sessions may focus on communication patterns and skills, values, boundaries, trust, expectations, and understanding the dynamics influencing the relationship.

Once a stronger foundation has been established, therapy can begin addressing past experiences, unresolved conflict, or areas where hurt and resentment remain. Claire’s approach emphasizes helping people understand not only what they disagree about, but also the patterns that can leave each person feeling disconnected or misunderstood.

Relationship therapy often begins with approximately four to six weekly sessions before transitioning to less frequent sessions as appropriate for the needs and goals of the relationship.

Outside the Office

Outside of her clinical work, Claire is an enthusiastic plant lover. She has an extensive houseplant collection, enjoys propagating plants, and regularly visits botanical gardens, including the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. She also enjoys traveling, visiting state parks, and exploring new cities.