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- CBT reframing
- Mindfulness practice
- Psychodynamic insight
About Vanessa
Dr. Vanessa Prestridge Graf, LMFT, is licensed in California and has 29 years of clinical experience. She helps people with stress, anxiety, relationship and parenting concerns, mood disorders, addiction, trauma, grief, intimacy and a range of body-image and family-origin issues. She describes her work in straightforward terms: identifying unhelpful thought patterns, reframing beliefs formed early in life, and using mindfulness to shift focus toward what is working.
Dr. Graf uses cognitive behavioral approaches to point out and change the ‘‘stinking thinking’’ that keeps people stuck. She pairs this with mindfulness practices to manage anxiety and depressive symptoms. She also draws on psychodynamic ideas about how early experiences shape current beliefs and behavior.
Sessions aim to spot automatic negative thoughts, test their accuracy, and build more balanced ways of thinking. Mindfulness exercises are offered as practical tools to reduce rumination and increase awareness of present-moment responses. Psychodynamic framing helps name recurring patterns rooted in family of origin or attachment history.
Her stated focus areas include abandonment, attachment issues, blended family concerns, codependency, communication and commitment problems, fertility stress, infidelity, shame and guilt, and eating or sleeping difficulties. She also lists work around bipolar symptoms, anger, addictions, and intimacy-related problems.
Dr. Graf emphasizes direct, conversational therapy with a sense of humor when appropriate. She describes change as learning to reframe beliefs and create affirming self-statements. Prospective clients should confirm current session formats before booking.
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How her approaches translate to online work
CBT focuses on identifying automatic negative thoughts and testing them against evidence. Online sessions can use this approach to teach people how to reframe harmful thinking and practice new thought patterns between meetings.Mindfulness Therapy emphasizes present-moment awareness and simple exercises to reduce rumination. In remote sessions, mindfulness techniques can be demonstrated and assigned as short daily practices to help with anxiety and low mood.
Psychodynamic Therapy looks at early relationships and recurring patterns that influence current behavior. Online conversations can uncover those patterns and connect past experiences to present difficulties.
She treats finding the right approach as a collaborative process. The therapist and client work together to decide which methods fit the client’s goals, needs, and preferences. That decision can change as work proceeds and new priorities emerge.
Practical benefits of remote sessions include easier fitting of appointments into a busy life and fewer travel requirements. You should confirm which session formats are offered before booking. Online work can allow short check-ins, longer in-depth sessions, or structured skill-building assignments that fit into daily routines.
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
29+ years
Listed in
California, Colorado
Languages
English
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Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and parenting concerns, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy issues, eating and sleeping problems, bipolar symptoms, and related family and attachment issues.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is conversational and direct. She focuses on identifying negative thought patterns, reframing beliefs, and using mindfulness practices.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 29 years of clinical experience.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, licensed in California and Colorado as CA LMFT and CO LMFT.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Confirm current session options before booking.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, call 911, or call or text 988.