About Cathy
Cathy Simmons helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, relationship strain, or major life changes. She meets clients where they are and focuses on practical steps that fit daily life. Cathy’s voice is direct and warm, and she encourages small action that builds confidence over time.
She has 24 years of professional experience and is a licensed marriage and family therapist, LMFT, in California. Cathy believes each person knows their story best and brings strengths into the work.
How Cathy works
Sessions are collaborative and paced to match the client’s comfort level. Cathy works with a wide range of concerns including trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, adoption and foster care matters, blended family issues, addictions, and career pressures. She also addresses intimacy-related issues, self-esteem, and compassion fatigue.
Her approach is practical and goal-oriented, helping people create manageable changes that improve daily functioning. In therapy she listens for patterns that create distress and then helps clients try small experiments to shift those patterns. She uses straightforward language and focuses on skills people can use between sessions.
Cathy also integrates coaching elements when clients want help meeting work or life goals. People choosing therapy with Cathy can expect a steady, nonjudgmental guide who values their experience and supports gradual progress. She encourages clients to notice strengths, try new ways of coping, and build a clearer path forward.
What Cathy works with
The areas below are the ones Cathy selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
Also listed
- Addictions
- Adoption and foster care
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Family problems
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- LGBT
- Parenting issues
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-love
Training and background
| Register | LMFT |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 24 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | California |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Cathy’s Approaches Work Online
Evidence-based therapeutic techniques focus on practical skills and behaviors that reduce stress and improve day-to-day functioning. One common focus is skill-building for anxiety and stress management, which teaches breathing, grounding, and planning strategies to handle overwhelming moments and regain control. Another common emphasis is trauma-informed work that helps people process painful experiences at a pace they can handle, using grounding and stabilization before addressing memories or triggers.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Cathy will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful. Together they decide which techniques to try and adjust them as progress is made so the work stays personally relevant and manageable.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy fit into busy lives. Video sessions allow more visual connection for deeper conversation. Phone sessions can work well when bandwidth is limited or when clients prefer not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging provide brief check-ins, written reflections, or a way to get support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while balancing work, family, and other responsibilities.
Start online instead of waiting
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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