About
- Stress and anxiety
- Parenting and family
- CBT and mindfulness
About Sheila
Sheila Owens is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in California with eight years of clinical practice as a therapist and three decades of additional experience in mental health roles such as case manager and case coordinator.
She helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar concerns, relationship strain, parenting pressures, grief, trauma and abuse. She also works with issues around self-esteem, anger, career transitions, LGBT concerns, and coping with life changes. Sheila lists family and parenting among her focus areas and addresses related problems like communication and family of origin issues.
Her background includes long-term work in community mental health and activism aimed at reducing the stigma of mental illness. That history informs her practical approach to common problems people bring when home life feels difficult or overwhelming.
In sessions she uses straightforward, person-centered conversation alongside specific techniques drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. She also uses EMDR for trauma-related symptoms and mindfulness practices to help with stress and emotional regulation.
Sheila aims to help people build clearer communication skills, manage intense emotions, and develop daily habits that reduce distress. She asks questions, listens for patterns that cause difficulty, and works with each person to set small, achievable steps toward clearer routines and more manageable relationships.
To begin, she directs prospective clients to a short matching questionnaire and scheduling process so they can book a first session and discuss goals and next steps.
How sessions work
Approaches used and how online work fits
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the individual. It involves open conversation, reflective listening, and working at a pace the person prefers to identify helpful next steps.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thought and behavior that keep problems in place. It uses concrete exercises and simple experiments to change unhelpful thinking and build new routines that reduce anxiety and low mood.
Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, teaches skills for managing intense emotions and improving communication. It includes techniques for distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and clearer interaction with others, which can be useful when family or parenting pressures feel overwhelming.
Finding the right mix of methods is part of the first sessions. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which approaches fit their goals, symptoms, and daily life. That way therapy focuses on practical steps the person can try between meetings.
The biography does not specify which online formats are offered, so confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy day, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. The early appointments are used to set goals, choose methods, and agree on a plan for follow-up and homework that will fit into everyday routines.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She addresses stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar issues, relationship strain, parenting pressures, grief, trauma and abuse, and related topics such as self-esteem and career changes.
What kind of approach does she use in sessions?
She uses a client-centered style with techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness to address symptoms and practical problems.
How much experience does she have?
She has eight years as a licensed therapist plus about 30 years in mental health roles like case manager and case coordinator.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an LCSW licensed in California and practices from that state.
Does she work in other languages or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats does she offer?
The biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session to begin.
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.