About Mark
Mark Burns is a California-based licensed marriage and family therapist with 37 years of clinical experience. He focuses on supporting people through relationship and intimacy concerns, self-esteem challenges, and major life changes. Mark centers his work on clear, practical conversation and steady emotional support.
He often helps people in the LGBTQ community and men who are navigating identity, fatherhood, midlife shifts, or questions about life purpose. Sessions look at relationship patterns, sexual health, and how family of origin can shape current choices.
How Mark works
Mark also addresses concerns such as sexual dysfunction, sex addiction, and aspects of BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture. Mark uses an evidence-based approach and draws on decades of work with clients to shape treatment plans. He aims for straightforward goals and everyday strategies people can try between sessions.
Progress is tracked in small, achievable steps that build confidence and self-love. The therapy style is conversational and direct while remaining respectful and affirming. People can expect space to talk through sensitive topics without judgment and practical guidance on setting boundaries, improving intimacy, and managing life transitions.
Sessions focus on personal empowerment and clearer decision-making. Mark helps people clarify values and create action plans that fit their daily lives. Over time, the aim is stronger emotional resilience and more satisfying relationships.
What Mark works with
The areas below are the ones Mark selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Intimacy-related issues
Also listed
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Coping with life changes
- Family of origin issues
- Fatherhood issues
- HIV / AIDS
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual dysfunction
Training and background
| Register | LMFT |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 37 |
| 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
Evidence-based approaches and online support
Mark uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on clear, practical work. One common strand is short-term problem-focused work that identifies a few key goals and builds step-by-step plans to reach them; this helps with issues like relationship friction, intimacy concerns, and sexual health challenges. Another approach emphasizes exploring family of origin patterns and personal history to make sense of current behavior and improve relationship choices; this can be useful for fatherhood issues, midlife shifts, and self-esteem struggles.Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist collaborates with each person to match methods to their needs, goals, and preferences. That means trying options, checking what helps, and adjusting the plan together as progress is made.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy fit into daily life. Video calls are useful for full conversation and nonverbal cues, phone sessions can be a good low-bandwidth option, and messaging or live chat suit quick check-ins or brief reflections between sessions. These formats add flexibility for people balancing work, family, and other commitments while pursuing therapeutic goals.
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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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