Dr. Angela Buffington

CA Psychologist PSY32331

California

Change-focused psychologist with practical tools

Continue with Angela

At a glance

Credentials

CA Psychologist PSY32331

License

Psychologist, California / PSY32331

NPI

1265730709

Experience

15 years

Languages

English

Location

California

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.

1. • Motivational Interviewing
   • Mindfulness and CBT
   • Values-based goals

   About Angela

   Dr. Angela Buffington is a California psychologist who emphasizes Motivational Interviewing alongside mindfulness and cognitive behavioral strategies. She brings 15 years of experience helping adults who feel stuck by stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, or painful relationship patterns. Her style is straightforward and compassionate, focused on practical steps people can take right away.

   She creates a calm, nonjudgmental space for people to talk through emotions and habits that get in the way. Sessions often focus on identifying values, small changes that build momentum, and tools to manage intense feelings. Motivational Interviewing helps when someone feels unsure or ambivalent about making changes.

   Her work includes support for parenting strain, grief, anger, career shifts, bipolar and mood concerns, postpartum depression, and coping with life transitions. She also addresses attachment issues, codependency, communication problems, and family of origin concerns. Treatment aims to increase self-awareness and emotional flexibility.

   Dr. Buffington uses mindfulness practices to help people notice thoughts and emotions without reacting to them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to spot unhelpful thinking and try new behaviors. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are used when emotion regulation and distress tolerance need strengthening.

   People who choose her are guided to set realistic goals and take steps that fit their daily life. If someone wants to start, the process begins with a few questions to match needs and then scheduling based on availability.

2. How different approaches guide online sessions

   Motivational Interviewing focuses on helping people find their own reasons to change. It uses open questions and reflective listening to build motivation when someone feels unsure about making a change. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people clarify what matters to them and take small steps toward those values while accepting uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect and teaches specific skills to test and change unhelpful patterns.
   
   Finding the right approach is part of how therapy works. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, needs, and preferences. That choice can change over time as progress or new issues emerge.
   
   Session formats are not specified in this biography, so confirm the available options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by removing travel time and allowing appointments during breaks or between obligations. It also gives flexibility for shorter check-ins or longer weekly sessions depending on what works best for daily routines.

4. Areas of expertise

   Primary focus

   Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression

   Also works with

   AddictionsFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesADHD

   Additional focus areas

   Attachment issuesCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersPostpartum depressionPregnancy and childbirthSelf-loveWomen's issues

   Therapeutic approaches

   Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingTrauma-Focused Therapy

   Experience

   15+ years

   Listed in

   California

   Languages

   English

5. Frequently asked questions

   What problems does she help with?

   She supports adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strain, grief, anger, and life transitions among other concerns.

   How would you describe her therapy style?

   Her style is empathetic and direct, using Motivational Interviewing, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral techniques to set practical goals and build momentum.

   What is her professional background?

   She has 15 years of clinical experience working with adults on mood disorders, trauma, substance use, and interpersonal challenges.

   What credentials and location are listed?

   She is a California psychologist with the credential CA Psychologist PSY32331 and practices in California.

   Which languages are supported for sessions?

   Sessions are offered in English.

   What session formats are offered?

   Session formats are not specified here; please confirm current session options before booking.

   How are fees and payment handled?

   Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

   What do I do to begin therapy?

   Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

Back to all therapists