- Stress and anxiety
- Addictions and relapse
- Parenting and family
About Shirley
Shirley Semel is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with eight years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, addictions, trauma, grief, and life changes. Sessions are conducted in English.
She focuses on practical conversation that helps people name what feels stuck. Shirley uses clear, direct talk to identify patterns that affect mood, behavior, and relationships. She draws on approaches such as Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psychodynamic ideas, and solution-focused work to guide sessions.
People often bring worries about intimacy, parenting, blended family issues, caregiver stress, chronic illness, or struggles with substance use. Shirley has experience running groups for anger management, domestic violence, and addiction relapse prevention, and she applies that group work knowledge to individual sessions when helpful.
In sessions she helps clients look at family of origin issues, communication and control problems, codependency, and commitment concerns. Conversations can include practical steps for sleep, eating, and daily routine, and strategies to cope with isolation or the fallout of separation and divorce.
She also supports clients processing trauma, grief, and the emotional impact of chronic pain or disability. Shirley integrates faith-based perspectives when a client asks for Christian counseling, while keeping the focus on the person's goals and values.
How therapeutic approaches shape online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting so the client can find their own answers. It helps when someone needs space to talk about what matters and to consider life purpose and values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and uses concrete exercises to change habits. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, sleep or eating concerns, and coping with stressful life changes. Psychodynamic ideas pay attention to patterns from family history and earlier relationships that keep repeating now and can help untangle long-standing issues with intimacy and self esteem.Choosing an approach is often part of the work. Shirley treats the decision as collaborative and will help figure out which methods fit a client's goals, preferences, and the problems they bring. That might mean trying a CBT exercise for a few weeks, shifting to more reflective psychodynamic work, or combining methods based on what helps.
The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Many people find online sessions let them fit therapy into a workday, reduce travel time, or use shorter check-ins when needed. Others appreciate not needing to be on camera for a session with less bandwidth. Discussing practical scheduling needs is part of the first appointment so sessions can fit into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, addictions, trauma, grief, and life changes, plus related topics like parenting and caregiver stress.
How does she approach feeling stuck or directionless?
She uses client-centered conversation with practical tools from CBT and solution-focused work to identify unhelpful patterns and small steps forward.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has eight years of experience and has led groups for anger management, domestic violence, and addiction relapse prevention.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensed in California and practices there.
In which language are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
What formats are used for sessions?
The biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are costs and scheduling handled?
Session costs vary with location and use a subscription that can be canceled at any time; to start, complete the short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.