Shirley Semel , LMFT

Shirley Semel is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) practicing in California who brings eight years of clinical experience to her work. She has supported individuals across the lifespan and has experience leading groups focused on domestic violence, anger management, and addiction relapse prevention. Shirley strives to build trust by offering a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where people can share what is on their minds and begin to heal.

She is passionate about helping people explore their identity and values across relationships, work, and family life. Shirley works with clients to identify the areas that keep them feeling stuck and to discover what brings genuine joy and contentment. Her practice addresses a wide range of concerns including addiction and co-occurring disorders, relationship and family challenges, caregiving stress, trauma and abuse, grief, sleep and eating issues, and mood concerns such as depression and bipolar disorder.

Shirley also offers faith-informed support for those who seek Christian counseling, and she values helping people realize their potential through spiritual perspectives if that is important to them. In every case she aims to create a caring, nurturing environment where clients can explore change, build skills, and move toward a more satisfying life.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Shirley draws on client-centered therapy to create a warm, accepting space where clients lead the conversation and are supported in exploring their values, identity, and relationships. This approach is well suited to people working on self-esteem, relationship concerns, and life transitions.

She also integrates cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and patterns and building practical skills to manage anxiety, depression, stress, and addictive behaviors. CBT offers concrete tools for coping and behavior change that many clients find immediately useful.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Shirley collaborates with each person to determine what methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She adapts techniques over time so therapy remains focused and relevant.

Online therapy with Shirley is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit care into a busy schedule, manage caregiving or health-related limitations, or access support from home. These options provide flexibility in how and when to engage in therapy while maintaining the same therapeutic methods used in face-to-face work.