James Johansen, LCSW

James Johansen is a licensed clinical social worker with ten years of experience helping people navigate relationship strain, grief, intimacy concerns, anger, and LGBTQ+ related challenges. He meets each person where they are and treats them as the expert on their own life. James focuses on practical steps clients can try between sessions and offers steady support while people find what works for them.

He uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help identify unhelpful thoughts and build different behavior patterns. He also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to clarify values and guide choices that match what matters most. Attachment-based ideas inform how he talks about connection and patterns that repeat in close relationships.

James works with a wide range of issues, including communication problems, commitment concerns, jealousy, and isolation. He also addresses topics such as BDSM, kink and alternative sex culture, non-monogamy, and problems related to substance use. Meetings focus on concrete goals and small changes that add up over time.

People can expect a direct but compassionate style that centers their priorities. Sessions are aimed at practical problem solving, gaining new skills, and making clearer choices. James helps people test new ways of relating and supports them through setbacks.

He practices in California and conducts sessions in English. James emphasizes collaboration and keeps plans grounded in the realities of each person’s daily life.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

James uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice thoughts and behaviors that get in the way, then practice new responses that produce different results. This approach is useful for issues like anger, anxiety, and unhelpful relationship patterns. He also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify their values and take actions that match those values, especially when avoidance or grief gets in the way.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. James will talk with each person about their goals and preferences, then suggest methods to try. The plan is collaborative and can change as progress is made or new challenges arise.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which allow flexibility for different schedules. Video suits in-depth conversations and nonverbal cues, phone calls work when bandwidth is limited, live chat can be used for shorter check-ins, and text messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options help people fit therapy into busy lives and maintain momentum between meetings.