- Years in practice
- 23
- Credentials
- LMFT
- Licensed in
- California
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Family conflicts
- Focus
- Grief
About Brenda
Brenda Wicks is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 23 years of experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, parenting struggles, grief, depression, addictions, and life transitions. Her tone is warm and direct, aimed at parents who need clear, practical support.
She uses straightforward conversations to clarify problems and set small, achievable goals. Brenda blends client-centered listening with Cognitive Behavioral techniques to change unhelpful thinking and behavior. She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotion regulation and solution-focused steps to build momentum.
Background and approach
Brenda has long experience supporting people affected by trauma, caregiving strain, and relationship problems. She also works with issues such as ADHD, codependency, blended family challenges, and forgiveness work. Her background includes helping people cope after disruptive life events and environmental stressors.
Sessions are collaborative and paced to the client. Brenda listens first, then offers practical tools tailored to each person’s situation. Common early steps include identifying patterns, trying a few behavior changes, and tracking what helps.
Many clients come for help with parenting concerns and family stress. Brenda guides parents through communication problems, boundary setting, and restoring connection while keeping goals realistic and manageable.
What Brenda works with
Everything Brenda lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Brenda helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Brenda lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches and how they work online
Brenda commonly uses Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in her work. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening with empathy and helping people find their own solutions, which can help parents reconnect to their values and goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and offers practical exercises to reduce anxiety and change unhelpful patterns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy teaches emotion regulation and distress-tolerance skills that are useful for strong reactions, anger, and relationship strain.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Brenda starts by asking about immediate concerns and goals, then suggests methods to try. She checks in regularly and adjusts the plan based on what helps and what feels manageable for the client.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions let you work face to face from wherever you are, while phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a break at work. Live chat and text allow shorter, frequent check-ins and written tools you can review later. These formats make it easier to schedule care around parenting duties and busy days.
Questions people ask about Brenda
What concerns does she address most often?
Brenda works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, parenting and family issues, grief, trauma, and related challenges like ADHD and caregiver stress.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is supportive, interactive, and warm. She listens closely and uses clear, practical steps rather than long lectures.
What is her professional background?
She brings 23 years of clinical experience working across mental health settings and with people affected by trauma, life changes, and family stress.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - LMFT - practicing in California.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available online?
Brenda offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging as session formats.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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