Profile / United States
Marissa Dean, LMFT
California
LMFT - Anxiety and Trauma care
See online therapy options- CBT and DBT methods
- Mindfulness practice
- Body-focused work
About Marissa
Marissa Dean is an LMFT - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in California with five years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, relationship strain, grief, trauma and abuse, depression, bipolar symptoms, sleep problems, parenting challenges, and issues related to identity and self-esteem.
Her approach is practical and person-focused. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with client-centered methods and elements from DBT, mindfulness, psychodynamic thinking, and somatic work. Sessions tend to focus on noticing unhelpful thoughts and habits, practicing different responses, and building clearer coping skills.
Marissa combines talk-based work with attention to bodily experience. That means clients may track physical reactions, learn grounding skills, and link those experiences to thoughts and feelings. She also supports people who want to explore attachment patterns, family of origin issues, communication problems, dissociation, and control issues.
She can integrate spiritual concerns when requested, including Christian-based perspectives such as prayer or scripture, to align therapeutic goals with personal beliefs. This is offered only when the client wants it.
Practical goals such as smoking or vaping cessation, improving sleep, and rebuilding self-esteem are addressed with step-by-step techniques. The overall focus is on clear strategies people can try between sessions and review with their therapist.
How Marissa uses structured approaches in remote sessions
Marissa commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered methods in her remote work. CBT focuses on spotting automatic thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce anxiety and improve mood. Client-centered methods emphasize open listening and using the client's own goals to guide session priorities.She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills when needed to support emotion regulation and distress tolerance. DBT skills training provides concrete strategies for managing intense feelings and improving communication under stress.
Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist collaborates with each person to choose which tools to try based on their current concerns, goals, and preferences. That collaboration may mean combining CBT exercises with mindfulness or somatic checks to see what fits.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Remote work can make scheduling easier and let people fit short check-ins into a break, use less travel time, or avoid being on camera if they prefer. Practical benefits include working on between-session tasks together, rehearsing new communication strategies in session, and checking how skills translate into daily life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with most often?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar symptoms, addictions, trauma and abuse, relationship strain, grief, sleep problems, parenting issues, and self-esteem concerns.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
CBT is used to notice and change unhelpful thoughts and habits. Sessions include practical exercises and homework to try new responses between appointments.
What is her professional background?
She has five years of clinical experience and holds the LMFT credential. Her work draws on client-centered, psychodynamic, somatic, DBT, and mindfulness approaches.
Where is she licensed to practice?
She is a California LMFT and practices in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are session costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What does the first step look like?
Begin by selecting 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.