About Marissa
Marissa Dean is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in California who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and grief. She works with issues related to relationships, parenting, sleep problems, self-esteem, bipolar concerns, and LGBT-related stress. Marissa also supports people coping with life changes and trauma and abuse.
Her approach is grounded in a client-centered style that focuses on what each person brings to the room. She uses cognitive behavioral tools to spot unhelpful thought patterns and DBT skills for emotional regulation and distress tolerance.
How Marissa works
Mindfulness and psychodynamic ideas help people notice patterns from their past and develop new ways of relating to themselves. Sessions tend to be collaborative and practical. Marissa helps clients identify small, manageable steps they can try between meetings.
She also addresses attachment issues, body image, communication problems, dissociation, and family of origin concerns when these come up. She has five years of clinical experience as an LMFT in California. That background informs work with guilt and shame, forgiveness, control issues, life purpose, and growing self-love.
Smoking and vaping cessation support is also part of her focus areas. For those who want faith integrated into care, Marissa can incorporate Christian-based counseling elements such as prayer or scripture when requested. People who prefer a secular path will find a therapy style centered on their goals and values.
Marissa lists 6 ways of working on the entry:
What Marissa works with
The areas below are the ones Marissa selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also listed
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Body image
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Trauma and abuse
Training and background
| Register | LMFT |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 5 |
| 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 therapeutic approaches guide online work
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following a person's lead. The therapist creates a welcoming space, reflects what the client shares, and helps people find their own answers; this approach can help with relationship concerns, self-esteem, and life purpose.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. It teaches practical skills to change thinking patterns and try new behaviors, which can help with anxiety, depression, and sleep issues.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, provides skills for managing intense emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness. It is useful when people need steadier emotional regulation and clearer communication in stressful times.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk about goals, try techniques, and adjust methods based on what helps most. Clients can expect a collaborative process where methods are chosen to match their needs and preferences.
Please confirm which session formats are currently offered before booking, since formats are not specified here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life - for example they reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins between commitments, and make it possible to meet from different locations. Licensed professionals can use online work to teach coping skills, practice communication, and maintain progress between in-person meetings.
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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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