Leah Brooks, LCSW

Leah Brooks is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in California who uses practical, evidence-informed approaches to help people manage stress and anxiety. She brings 11 years of experience to each conversation and focuses on creating a welcoming space for honest talk.

Leah helps people work through trauma and abuse and supports those facing depression and low self-esteem. She also addresses concerns related to sexuality, LGBT issues, and relationship patterns such as polyamory and non-monogamous dynamics. Her work includes support for people dealing with isolation, guilt and shame, and challenges tied to body image or sexual expression.

Her approach blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - CBT - with acceptance-based and mindfulness tools to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try small, doable changes. She also uses EMDR for processing traumatic memories and draws on Jungian ideas when it helps clients explore meaning and inner conflicts.

Sessions are straightforward and focused on what the client wants to change. Leah coaches practical skills for coping, communication, and motivation, and she helps people set steps they can try between sessions. She talks through setbacks and adjusts plans to fit real life.

Leah aims to be nonjudgmental and direct. She encourages clients to name goals, test new behaviors, and build more satisfying daily routines. Taking a first step can feel hard, and she aims to make that step easier to take.

How CBT, ACT, and EMDR translate to online care

Leah uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test different behaviors. CBT sessions often involve setting small experiments or practicing skills between meetings to reduce anxiety and improve mood.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on clarifying personal values and taking committed action even when uncomfortable feelings appear. It can be helpful for people who want to stop avoiding difficult emotions and build a more meaningful daily life.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - EMDR - is used to process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional intensity. In online work, this can involve guided sequences and grounding exercises tailored to each person's pace.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Leah will discuss options and try methods that match the client's goals and preferences, adjusting as progress and feedback indicate. Clients and therapist decide together what feels most useful.

Online sessions include video calls, phone appointments, live chat, or ongoing text-based messaging. Video allows face-to-face interaction and guided exercises, phone can be simpler for low-bandwidth moments, live chat works for quick check-ins, and messaging supports steady progress between sessions. These options make therapy more flexible for people juggling work, caregiving, or varied schedules.