Profile / United States
Marcia Howard, LCSW
California
LCSW in California - anxiety and life changes
See online therapy options- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- DBT skills and mindfulness
- English Spanish Portuguese
About Marcia
Marcia Howard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California with 20 years of experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, relationship and family concerns, depression, career strain, eating and anger issues, and coping with life changes.
Her approach uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside DBT, mindfulness, and solution-focused techniques. Sessions aim to identify unhelpful thoughts and patterns. Then she helps people try concrete, manageable alternatives to those habits.
Marcia draws on two decades of clinical work in community settings and outpatient care. She emphasizes short-term skills people can practice between appointments, such as coping strategies, grounding skills, and behavioral experiments to test new ways of responding.
She also addresses topics that intersect with mental health, including aging and geriatric concerns, immigration issues, HIV/AIDS, end-of-life counseling, and veteran-related problems. Marcia includes cultural factors and life circumstances when considering options with each person.
Sessions may include goal-focused problem solving, emotion regulation tools from DBT, and mindfulness exercises to reduce reactivity. Her practical focus is on noticing patterns, setting small goals, and tracking progress over time.
Marcia offers services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. People interested in working with her follow the site process to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How CBT and skills-based work translate to online sessions
Marcia uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to break down problems into thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. CBT sessions typically focus on identifying specific unhelpful thoughts, running small experiments to test them, and practicing alternative responses to reduce distress.She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills and mindfulness exercises. DBT skills teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal techniques that help when feelings feel overwhelming. Mindfulness practices are brief attention exercises that reduce reactivity and support clearer decision making.
Finding the right approach is part of the process. She works collaboratively to decide whether CBT, DBT skills, mindfulness, or a mix will best match someone’s goals and daily life. The choice is adjusted as needs and priorities change.
The site asks people to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session, so practical details are confirmed before booking. Because session formats are not specified in the biography, confirm current session options during signup. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time so people can focus on practicing skills between sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English, Spanish, Portuguese
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address most often?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, low self-esteem, relationship and family concerns, career issues, eating concerns, anger, and coping with life changes.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
She uses CBT to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, test alternative responses, and build small, practical skills to reduce distress.
What is her clinical background?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 20 years of professional experience working in community and outpatient settings.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds an LCSW license in California and provides services from that state.
Does she offer sessions in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions billed?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin sessions with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
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.