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CS Portrait of Cathleen Stafford

Cathleen Stafford

Compassionate, experienced family and relationship therapist

LMFT California

Experience
25 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Family, Intimacy-related issues
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages
English
Continue with Cathleen

About Cathleen

Cathleen Stafford is a California-licensed LMFT with 25 years of clinical experience who centers her work on collaborative, strengths-based care.

Background and approach

She meets clients where they are and emphasizes the client as the expert in their own life, using practical tools and emotional insight to address stress, anxiety, depression, and a range of relationship and family concerns. Her approach blends structured strategies with empathic listening to help people navigate intimacy issues, parenting challenges, and caregiving stress.

Stafford also supports clients facing transitions like divorce, blended family adjustments, and midlife reassessment, as well as concerns tied to family of origin, communication breakdowns, and forgiveness. She integrates methods from cognitive behavioral therapy along with client-centered and emotionally-focused techniques, tailoring interventions to each person’s needs.

With direct, respectful guidance she assists those working through postpartum depression, social anxiety, infidelity, and questions about life purpose, drawing on decades of experience to offer steady, practical support.

Therapeutic approaches for online relationship and stress work

Client-centered therapy emphasizes understanding each person’s perspective and building a supportive, nonjudgmental space; it helps when someone needs validation, clearer self-understanding, and a compassionate partner in change. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and learning practical strategies to reduce anxiety, manage stress, and ease depressive symptoms. Emotionally-focused therapy (EFT) targets emotional bonds and communication in close relationships, offering tools to improve connection, resolve intimacy-related issues, and address attachment-related concerns.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with clients to explore their goals, personal history, and preferred ways of working, and then blend techniques from these approaches to form a plan that fits those needs. This allows for flexibility as goals evolve during therapy.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which can make scheduling easier and remove geographic barriers within California. These formats offer practical benefits like more flexible appointment times and the ability to continue care from familiar surroundings, while still using structured therapeutic techniques to address relationship, family, and mood concerns.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?
Cathleen focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, family and intimacy-related problems, and parenting struggles, plus related topics such as blended family issues, caregiver stress, and postpartum depression.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She combines client-centered listening with evidence-informed methods including cognitive behavioral therapy, emotionally-focused techniques, solution-focused strategies, and internal family systems to create a tailored, collaborative process.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 25 years of professional experience working with individuals navigating relationships, life transitions, and mood-related concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is a licensed marriage and family therapist with the credential CA LMFT 37242 and practices in California.
Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are conducted in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
In what formats are sessions offered?
Therapy sessions are available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How are therapy fees handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a brief matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesDepression

Additional focus areas

Blended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problemsDivorce and separationFamily of origin issuesForgivenessInfidelityLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesPostpartum depressionSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Solution-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

25+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English