Profile / United States
Gia Castiglia Schwarzer, LMFT
California
LMFT - CBT oriented therapist for adults
See online therapy options- Stress and anxiety
- Relationship concerns
- Parenting support
About Gia
Gia Castiglia Schwarzer is a California licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with seven years of clinical experience. She works with people managing stress, anxiety, relationship and parenting concerns, and also helps with grief, self-esteem, addiction-related issues, trauma and abuse, intimacy concerns, anger, depression, and coping with life changes. Gia also focuses on challenges faced by young adults.
Gia earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science from U.C. Irvine and a Master of Arts in Psychology from Chapman University in Orange, California. She has worked in private practice and in school settings. After gaining her license she stepped back to raise a family and later returned to counseling work.
Her approach centers on helping clients notice strengths they already have and use those strengths to solve problems. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) tools to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try different responses. She also draws on interpersonal methods to look at how relationships affect feelings and behavior.
In sessions she guides clients to uncover practical strategies that fit their day-to-day lives. That might include straightforward skills to manage anxiety, concrete ways to change patterns in difficult relationships, or steps to rebuild confidence after loss. Gia describes therapy as a collaborative effort where the client’s experience directs the work.
People who prefer clear, structured work and concrete skills tend to find this approach useful. Gia combines brief skill-building with attention to personal strengths so clients can apply changes outside the session. If someone wants to start, she asks them to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first appointment.
How CBT and interpersonal work fit into online sessions
Gia uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and try practical behavior changes. CBT in this context means short exercises, thought records, and behavior experiments that can be practiced between sessions to reduce anxiety or depressive symptoms.She also draws on interpersonal approaches to look at how relationships shape feelings and conflict patterns. That work focuses on concrete communication skills, boundary-setting, and noticing interaction patterns that keep problems going.
Finding the right approach is part of the process. Gia works collaboratively with each person to decide whether CBT techniques, interpersonal work, or a mix of both matches their goals and daily life. She checks in about preferences and adjusts methods as therapy proceeds.
The original biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy around work, school, or caregiving by removing travel time. Shorter check-ins or sessions without video can work when bandwidth or a quieter setting is needed. Ask about available formats when you complete the matching questionnaire and schedule the first session.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address most often?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and parenting issues along with grief, depression, self-esteem, addiction-related concerns, trauma and intimacy-related problems.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
She uses CBT tools to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test different responses in daily life. The focus is on practical skills you can practice between sessions.
What is her professional background?
Gia has seven years of experience and has worked in both private practice and school settings. She took time away from practice to raise a family before returning to counseling.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a California LMFT and practices in California.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with clients outside the United States?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
How are session formats arranged?
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.