Therapist profile
Scott Underwood, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Trauma and Parenting
Continue with ScottAbout
- CBT
- EMDR
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
About Scott
Scott Underwood is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California with 23 years of experience. He began his career in the Army as a Behavioral Science Specialist and has worked in community mental health, psychiatric hospitals, private practice, and with active duty Air Force personnel. He addresses a wide range of concerns including trauma, depression, anxiety, parenting stress, anger, relationship and family issues, grief, and problems with sleep or eating.
He describes a practical, down-to-earth style. He uses straightforward problem solving and offers focused strategies for things like anger management and coping with panic or mood shifts. He also uses approaches aimed at trauma, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR, when those fit a person’s needs.
Scott expects new clients to have a sense of what they want from therapy, whether that is a brief set of sessions or longer-term work. He adjusts his approach if goals change and will discuss what a reasonable plan looks like for the number of sessions requested. He also notes that counseling does not always have to be heavy and serious, and he may use lighthearted moments to ease tension when appropriate.
His background includes service with military populations and extended clinical work across different settings. That range informs how he frames assessments, diagnosis, and treatment suggestions when those are part of a client’s goals. He asks prospective clients to clarify whether they want assessment and recommendations or primarily a listening ear.
Sessions are conducted through the platform and can use teleconference, phone, or chat depending on how the service is set up. Prospective clients should confirm the current session options before booking.
How sessions work
How his approaches translate to online sessions
Scott uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help identify unhelpful thought patterns and change behaviors that increase anxiety, depression, or sleep and eating problems. CBT sessions usually involve setting clear goals, practicing skills between meetings, and reviewing progress together.He also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, commonly called EMDR, as a way to address traumatic memories that continue to cause distress. EMDR focuses on processing difficult memories so they interfere less with daily life and with things like relationships and mood.
Finding the right approach is part of working together. He will discuss goals, preferences, and the problems you bring, then recommend whether CBT, EMDR, trauma-focused work, or a mix is most practical. This is a collaborative process and plans can change as needs change.
The platform supports sessions by teleconference, phone, or chat depending on how the service is set up, so confirm the current session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, allow a shorter check-in when needed, and let conversations happen without travel. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises, homework, and trauma-focused techniques to work in remote sessions so progress continues between meetings.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does he help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, parenting concerns, anger, depression, relationship and family issues, grief, sleep and eating concerns, and related mood and panic problems.
What is his general therapeutic style?
He uses a practical, straightforward approach focused on problem solving and skill-building, and sometimes lightens difficult moments with humor when appropriate.
How long has he been practicing?
He has 23 years of clinical experience across community mental health, psychiatric hospitals, private practice, and military settings.
Where is he licensed and based?
He is a California LCSW based in California.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with him?
He accepts international clients, so people outside the U.S. can consider working with him through the site's process.
How are sessions scheduled and what do they cost?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time; specific rates depend on your region.
What steps do I take to start?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule an initial session through the platform.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.