Andrea Plate, LCSW

Andrea Plate is a licensed clinical social worker with 20 years of experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, depression, grief, and career or relationship concerns. She aims to treat people with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. Andrea spent nearly 15 years running a residential substance abuse treatment program at the West Los Angeles Department of Veterans Affairs. There she worked with people experiencing homelessness and long-term mental health challenges. That work shaped her practical approach to coping and recovery. Now she sees people from the general population in California. Sessions focus on coping with major life changes, resolving relationship tensions, managing compassion fatigue, and handling career setbacks. Andrea also supports those struggling with codependency, caregiver stress, and issues common in later life. Her teaching in social welfare and addiction at a West Los Angeles university keeps her practice current. Andrea combines direct, conversational work with tools from several therapy approaches. She adjusts conversations and plans to fit each person's needs and goals. People can expect straightforward talk about next steps, strategies to manage symptoms, and help identifying what matters most to them. Andrea aims to make sessions practical and relevant so clients can use what they learn outside the room.

How Andrea’s approaches translate to online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building understanding. The therapist follows the person's lead, reflects back what she hears, and helps people find their own solutions. This approach can help with self-esteem, grief, relationship concerns, and making sense of life changes.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It uses clear exercises and small experiments to change unhelpful patterns. CBT is often useful for anxiety, depression, and managing impulses or addictive behaviors.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Andrea will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. She adapts the plan over time based on what helps most.

For practical matters, confirm the available session formats before booking since the biography does not list them. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also supports continuing work between in-person visits and can make follow-up and homework assignments simpler to share and discuss.