Lesley Schwam, LMFT

Lesley Schwam is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in California who uses practical, goal-focused methods to help people move forward. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy to address worry, low mood, trauma, and life changes.

She has 12 years of clinical experience and works with concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, grief, addiction, and relationship and intimacy-related issues. Lesley also supports people dealing with career transitions, caregiver strain, chronic illness, and challenges tied to family of origin.

In sessions she focuses on clear, achievable steps. Early work often includes building self-care routines, learning coping skills, and setting short-term goals that add up to long-term change. She teaches boundary setting and practical communication strategies so people can use new skills outside of therapy.

Lesley helps people break problems into smaller pieces and tests what works. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. Solution-Focused Therapy helps pinpoint strengths and small, immediate changes that push life forward.

Therapy can also look at complicated topics like trauma, addiction, and family conflict in a steady, paced way. Sessions aim to leave people with tools they can use between meetings. The overall goal is clearer direction, better coping, and measurable steps toward personal goals.

How Lesley uses CBT and Solution-Focused Work online

Lesley commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. CBT sessions typically include identifying specific patterns, testing small changes, and practicing new skills between meetings to reduce anxiety, depression, or problematic habits.

She also uses Solution-Focused Therapy to narrow in on immediate steps that move a person toward their goals. That approach highlights strengths and small wins, which can be useful for career changes, relationship communication, and coping with life transitions.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. She will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what seems most useful, then shape sessions together so the work fits real life.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different needs. Video lets people work face-to-face when visual cues help. Phone sessions require less bandwidth and can fit a short break at work. Live chat or text-based messaging can be used for brief check-ins, ongoing problem-solving, or when writing feels easier than talking. These options make it easier to maintain momentum and practice skills between appointments.