California Therapy Finder

Therapists licensed in California, available online across the state

Family Therapists Licensed in California

This page is for people in California who are looking for therapists who work with families. Use it to compare therapists’ approaches, specialties, and the types of family issues they treat, such as parent-child conflict, blended family adjustments, co-parenting after separation, or multigenerational caregiving. A California license covers the whole state, so the therapist’s ability to work with you is not limited by city boundaries. Look for descriptions of therapy models, experience with specific family structures, and any mention of whether they offer sessions with multiple family members present.

This is a partner link. We will earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.

  1. 1. Gian Sarabia, LMFT

    6 years in practice · English, Spanish · Male

    California LMFT offering thoughtful, individualized therapy

    Works with Trauma and abuse · Intimacy-related issues · Bipolar · Depression · Stress, Anxiety

    Approaches Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) · Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy

    Continue with Gian Online sessions

  2. 2. Michael Ames, LCSW

    35 years in practice · English · Male

    California LCSW with 35 years experience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Self esteem · Depression

    Continue with Michael Online sessions

  3. 3. Lorena Silva, LCSW

    3 years in practice · English, Spanish, Portuguese · Female

    Warm, collaborative LCSW for adults

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Family · Trauma and abuse · Self esteem · Coping with life changes

    Continue with Lorena Online sessions

  4. 4. Dr. Katherine Phillips, LMFT

    12 years in practice · English · Female

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Relationship · Depression · Coping with life changes

    Continue with Dr. Online sessions

  5. 5. Stacey Sugar, MD, LCPC, LPCC

    14 years in practice · English · Female

    MD, LCPC, LPCC therapist helping rewrite life stories

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Family · Intimacy-related issues · Coping with life changes

    Approaches Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    Continue with Stacey Online sessions

  6. 6. Claudia Smith, LCSW

    40 years in practice · English · Female

    California LCSW with 40 years experience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Self esteem · Depression · ADHD

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) · Mindfulness Therapy

    Continue with Claudia Online sessions

  7. 7. Marlo Lewis, LCSW

    8 years in practice · English · Female

    Licensed LCSW helping clients build emotional wellbeing

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Self esteem · Career · Coping with life changes

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Motivational Interviewing · Psychodynamic Therapy

    Continue with Marlo Online sessions

  8. 8. Matthew Esselstrom, LMFT

    22 years in practice · English · Non-binary

    California LMFT with 22 years experience

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Relationship · Anger · Self esteem · Coping with life changes

    Continue with Matthew Online sessions

  9. 9. Jared Maloney, LMFT

    8 years in practice · English · Male

    LMFT for anxiety, relationships, and trauma recovery

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Relationship · Self esteem · Depression

    Approaches Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    Continue with Jared Online sessions

  10. 10. Nathalie Contro, LMFT

    3 years in practice · English, Spanish · Female

    Collaborative LMFT for relationships and trauma

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Relationship · Family · Depression

    Approaches Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    Continue with Nathalie Online sessions

  11. 11. Kendall Jones, LCSW

    25 years in practice · English · Male

    Compassionate therapist guiding personal growth

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · LGBT · Trauma and abuse · Grief · Depression

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy · Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

    Continue with Kendall Online sessions

  12. 12. Deana Porter, LMFT

    29 years in practice · English · Female

    California LMFT for relationships and families

    Works with Relationship · Family · Trauma and abuse · Intimacy-related issues · Self esteem

    Approaches Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) · Gottman Method

    Continue with Deana Online sessions

  13. 13. Sherri Kardell, LMFT

    7 years in practice · English · Female

    Sherri Kardell, LMFT - Attachment-informed therapist

    Works with Relationship · Family · Trauma and abuse · Grief · Self esteem

    Approaches Attachment-Based Therapy · Client-Centered Therapy · Existential Therapy

    Continue with Sherri Online sessions

  14. 14. Dr. Katharine Clarke, CA Psychologist

    38 years in practice · English · Female

    Works with Stress, Anxiety · Addictions · Relationship · Family · Grief

    Continue with Dr. Online sessions

  15. 15. Eric Aldaco, LMFT

    16 years in practice · English, Spanish · Male

    Christian LMFT focused on strength-based care

    Works with Self esteem · Coping with life changes · Relationship · Family · Parenting

    Approaches Client-Centered Therapy

    Continue with Eric Online sessions

About family therapy in California

Everyone listed on this page holds a licence to practise in California and works online. That matters more than it sounds: a licence is issued by the state, not by a city, so a therapist is available to anyone in California regardless of how far away they are. Someone outside a major metro can work with a therapist whose books would otherwise be out of reach.

1,234 therapists match this page, all of whom name family among the areas they work with. Fifteen are shown above. The list changes between pages, so it is worth looking at more than one if none of these feels like a fit.

What to compare

  • Credential. LMFT, LCSW and LPCC are different training routes to the same licensed practice. None outranks the others; they shape emphasis rather than quality.
  • Years in practice. Shown for every therapist here. More experience is not automatically better, but it is a fair proxy for how much of a given problem someone has seen.
  • What else they work with. A therapist whose other focus areas overlap with your situation is usually a better starting point than one whose listed areas stop at the single thing you searched for.
  • Approach. CBT, psychodynamic, solution-focused and the rest describe how sessions tend to run. If you have tried therapy before and it did not suit you, changing approach is often more useful than changing therapist.
  • Language. Shown where a therapist offers sessions in more than English.

How online sessions work

Sessions run by video or by messaging, arranged through our partner platform rather than booked directly with the therapist. There is no travel and no waiting room, which for most people is the difference between starting and not starting. Pricing is set by the platform and shown before you commit.

Common questions

Can a family work with a therapist who is licensed anywhere in California?

Yes. A California license allows a therapist to work with clients anywhere in the state. If you and other family members live in different California cities, ask whether the therapist accepts multiple participants from separate locations and how they handle scheduling and consent for each person.

What types of family issues do therapists on this page commonly address?

Therapists listed here may work with issues like communication breakdowns, parenting challenges, stepfamily dynamics, grief and loss affecting family roles, and conflict after separation. Look for therapists who specify the family structures and problems they treat to find a better match for your situation.

How should we decide whether to include children or teens in family sessions?

Deciding who joins sessions depends on the goals and the child’s age and comfort. Ask a therapist whether they use separate sessions for younger children, how they engage teens, and what they recommend for protecting each person’s voice while keeping the family work constructive.

Family therapists by city

Other focus areas