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Deana Medina

Deana Medina

LMFT

California

Practical support for stress and motivation

Continue with Deana

At a glance

Credentials
LMFT
License
LMFT, California / 144292
Experience
4 years
Languages
English
Location
California

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

    • Compassionate listening
    • Goal-focused steps
    • Values-based work

    About Deana

    Deana Medina is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. She focuses on practical, everyday conversation and gentle guidance to help people find clearer motivation and better ways to cope. Deana aims to make the first step feel doable and supportive for anyone ready to try therapy.

    She uses a mix of approaches to meet each person where they are. Sessions emphasize listening, building motivation, and creating small, workable steps toward change. Deana draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try new behaviors.

    Attachment-based ideas shape how she looks at relationships and communication concerns. Client-centered methods keep sessions focused on the person’s values and goals. Together these approaches are used to address trauma, obsessive thoughts, mood changes, and workplace or social anxiety issues.

    Deana has four years of clinical experience working with a wide range of life challenges. She aims to tailor conversations and plans to each person’s unique situation, culture, and background. Her style is respectful and compassionate, with an emphasis on practical next steps.

    To begin, she asks people to think about what matters most to them and what they hope to change. That information helps shape goals and the step-by-step plan used in sessions.

  2. How her approaches translate to online therapy

    Deana uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify what matters to them and take small, values-driven steps forward. ACT focuses on noticing thoughts without getting stuck in them and acting on personal goals, which can help with anxiety, low mood, and motivation problems.

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to identify unhelpful thought patterns and try different behaviors. CBT gives concrete strategies for managing worry, mood shifts, and compulsive habits that people can practice between appointments.

    Motivational Interviewing helps when someone feels stuck or unsure about change. It uses collaborative conversation to build motivation and plan doable next steps, which fits well with both ACT and CBT techniques.

    Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which approaches feel most useful, based on goals, preferences, and how they respond in early sessions. That ongoing adjustment helps keep therapy practical and relevant.

    Confirm the available session formats before booking, as options are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It also supports using exercises and real-life practice between sessions so progress can continue outside appointment times.

  4. Areas of expertise

    Primary focus

    Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changes

    Additional focus areas

    Attachment issuesCommunication problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPost-traumatic stressSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWorkplace issues

    Therapeutic approaches

    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

    Experience

    4+ years

    Listed in

    California

    Languages

    English

  5. Frequently asked questions

    What concerns does Deana commonly help with?

    She works with stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. She also focuses on trauma and related issues such as PTSD, obsessions and compulsions, and social anxiety.

    What is her therapeutic style like?

    Sessions are conversational and goal-focused, emphasizing motivation and practical steps. She combines listening with tools to help people try new behaviors between sessions.

    How much clinical experience does she have?

    She has four years of professional work experience as a clinician in California.

    What credential does she hold and where is she based?

    She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, licensed in California.

    Which languages are supported for sessions?

    Sessions are offered in English.

    Can international clients work with her?

    She does not accept international clients at this time.

    How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?

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

    How do I start working with her?

    Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and 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

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