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Brenda Wicks

Brenda Wicks

LMFT

California

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In their wordsCompassionate therapist for life disruptions

Key details

Credentials
LMFT
License
LMFT, California / 51256
NPI
1720118995
Experience
23 years
Languages
English
Location
California

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp.

  • Warm supportive style
  • Practical coping skills
  • Trauma-informed care

About Brenda

Brenda Wicks is a California-based Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, addiction, relationship and parenting challenges. She supports clients dealing with trauma and abuse, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adjustment after natural or human-caused disasters. Brenda brings 23 years of experience to her work and speaks English.

Her style is warm, interactive, and supportive. She aims to treat people with respect and dignity and avoids stigmatizing labels. Sessions are tailored to each person’s needs, with a focus on practical steps and honest conversation.

Brenda draws from client-centered ideas, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, emotionally-focused techniques, and mindfulness. She combines these approaches to build short-term strategies and longer-term skills for managing emotions, relationships, and daily stressors.

She has worked across multiple mental health settings and has experience assisting victims of violent crime through traumatic events. That background informs how she supports people working through fear, anger, grief, and recovery from disruptive experiences.

In sessions she helps people identify patterns, try new coping skills, and set realistic goals. The focus is on clear steps that can fit into busy lives, whether the need is relief from anxiety, help with parenting stress, or navigating the aftermath of a disaster. To begin, users should confirm current session options before booking.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and helping the person set the direction of sessions. It helps when someone needs steady support while they sort through feelings and choices.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It uses practical exercises and small experiments to reduce anxiety, manage depression, or change unhelpful habits.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) adds skills for managing intense emotions and improving communication. It is useful for people who want concrete tools for distress tolerance and emotion regulation.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, strengths, and daily routines rather than sticking to a single technique.

Confirm current session options before booking, as the profile does not list specific formats. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Discussing scheduling and the best ways to work together happens at the first sessions so arrangements match each person’s life and needs.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsGriefCareer difficultiesDepression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Drug and alcohol addictionFamily problemsForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

23+ years

Credentials

California

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Brenda address?

She works with issues like anxiety, depression, addiction, grief, relationship and parenting difficulties, trauma and abuse, and coping with natural or human-caused disaster.

How would you describe her therapeutic approach?

Her sessions are warm and interactive. She blends client-centered work with cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior strategies plus emotionally-focused and mindfulness techniques.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She brings 23 years of experience in a range of mental health settings, including work supporting people after violent crimes and other traumatic events.

What credentials does she hold and where is she based?

She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensed in California and practices from that state.

In what languages are sessions offered?

Sessions are offered in English only.

Can international clients work with her?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

What should I expect about cost and billing?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with Brenda?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire, then schedule according to therapist availability.

No rush

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