Andrea McLellan, LMFT

Andrea McLellan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in California with 14 years of clinical experience. She emphasizes practical, goal-driven work that helps people identify the roots of their distress and set clear, realistic steps toward change. Andrea invites clients to notice patterns in their lives and take concrete actions that build emotional stability and resilience.

Andrea combines solution-focused strategies with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to reduce symptoms and create measurable progress. She also draws from psychodynamic and narrative ideas to look at how past experiences shape current behavior. Motivational Interviewing and Dialectical Behavior Therapy inform her work when people need support with change, emotion regulation, or addictive patterns.

Her background includes university teaching in psychology and forensic consultation related to sexual assault and child abuse. That work has deepened her attention to how family dynamics and generational trauma affect individuals. She often helps people who have experienced trauma, grief, or family-related harm to sort through complex feelings and practical next steps.

Andrea also pays attention to the needs of public servants and first responders who face repeated exposure to others’ suffering. She describes common stress reactions and collaborates with people to develop coping strategies and recovery plans. Her style is direct, compassionate, and aimed at making day-to-day life more manageable.

Outside of clinical work, Andrea enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, bird-watching, and camping. She asks prospective clients to use the site’s Start Therapy process to begin, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first meeting.

How evidence-based approaches translate to online care

Andrea frequently uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy approaches. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with behavioral changes to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression. DBT offers skills for regulating intense emotions, managing distress, and improving interpersonal effectiveness when emotions run high.

Choosing the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will discuss your goals, symptoms, and daily routine and then tailor techniques that fit what you need. Expect a shared plan that can change as progress is made and new challenges arise.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Many people find online work helps fit therapy into busy schedules, makes follow-up sessions easier to attend, and supports continuity when life is hectic. Practical benefits include shorter check-ins when needed, fewer disruptions to travel or work days, and the ability to continue momentum between in-person appointments. Licensed professionals can adapt CBT and DBT tools to remote formats so skills practice and behavioral experiments still move forward in everyday life.