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Leonard Burns

Leonard Burns

LMFT

California

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In their wordsCompassionate therapist for life transitions

Key details

Credentials
LMFT
License
LMFT, California / 25369
NPI
1780759134
Experience
35 years
Languages
English
Location
California

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp.

  • 35 years experience
  • Values honest relationship
  • Practical, goal-focused work

About Leonard

Leonard Burns is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 35 years of clinical experience. He helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, and coping with life changes. He also supports those dealing with trauma, addiction, ADHD, sleep problems, and compassion fatigue.

He approaches therapy as a straightforward, human process. He values a strong, honest relationship as the foundation for change. Sessions focus on clear goals and practical steps that fit into daily life.

Leonard uses a mix of methods to match each person's needs. That can include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to clarify values, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address unhelpful thinking and behaviors, and attachment-focused ideas to understand relationship patterns. He draws on many years of practice and experience with diverse people.

His background also includes work with complex trauma and EMDR-informed approaches for trauma recovery. Leonard mentions experience supporting people through cancer survivorship and identity-related struggles. He emphasizes steady, realistic pacing when working with painful memories or major life transitions.

Clients can expect a respectful, nonjudgmental clinician who talks plainly about challenges and next steps. Leonard encourages people ready to commit to the work to take it one step at a time, with the therapist providing guidance and support along the way.

How his approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people get clearer about what matters to them and take small steps toward those values. It is useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions where motivation and direction feel uncertain.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and testing new ways of responding. It often helps with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and anger by giving practical tools to try between sessions.

Attachment-based ideas look at how early relationship patterns affect current connections. This perspective can help with intimacy issues, commitment worries, and communication problems.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with the client to decide which methods fit the person's goals and preferences. That may mean combining approaches and adjusting pace based on how someone responds.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm the specific session options before booking since formats are not listed in the biography. Online work can make scheduling easier, allow shorter check-ins when time is tight, and reduce travel time so therapy fits into a busy day. Therapists and licensed professionals often use their approaches effectively in remote sessions, adapting exercises and homework to the online setting.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGrief

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryVisually impairedWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Jungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

35+ years

Credentials

California

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist commonly support?

Leonard works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, addiction, ADHD, sleep problems, and coping with life changes including coping with natural or human-caused disaster.

How would you describe his therapy style?

He uses a plainspoken, relational approach that focuses on building an honest working relationship. Sessions emphasize clear goals and practical steps tailored to everyday life.

What kind of experience does he bring?

He has 35 years of clinical experience and a long history of working with complex trauma, cancer survivorship, identity concerns, and a wide range of mood and anxiety issues.

What are his credentials and location?

He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, practicing in California.

Which languages are available for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English only.

What session formats are offered?

Please confirm current session options before booking, as session formats are not specified in the biography.

How does billing and cost work?

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

How do I begin working with him?

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

No rush

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