- Years in practice
- 35
- Credentials
- LMFT
- Licensed in
- California
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Family conflicts
About Leonard
Leonard Burns is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 35 years of experience helping people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, and parenting concerns. He works with issues around relationships, intimacy, LGBT identity, sleeping problems, anger, self-esteem, ADHD, and compassion fatigue. Leonard writes plainly and listens carefully to what matters most to each person.
His style centers on building an honest, respectful relationship. He believes real change starts when a client feels heard and understood.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on practical steps and attention to life context rather than jargon or unnecessary complexity. Leonard draws on several approaches to tailor care. He uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice thoughts and take meaningful action.
Attachment-based ideas guide work on closeness and communication in relationships. He has long experience working with trauma and abuse, including complex post-traumatic stress reactions, and has used Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing as part of that work. Leonard also supports people facing cancer survivorship, chronic illness, caregiving stress, and the fallout from major life changes.
Clients can expect straightforward conversation, goal-focused work, and attention to the real-world barriers that make change hard. Leonard offers a steady presence for people ready to commit to difficult work and wants to help them find more ease and stability in daily life.
What Leonard works with
Everything Leonard lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Leonard helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visually impaired
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Leonard lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Jungian Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic 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 online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice painful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and feeling stuck by clarifying what matters and practicing small steps toward it. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses simple exercises to reduce unhelpful patterns and improve mood and sleep.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Leonard will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and adjust methods over time. Together they choose techniques that feel doable and relevant to daily life rather than forcing a single model.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to stay connected. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when more depth is needed. Phone sessions work well for check-ins or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging make brief check-ins, scheduling, and short skills practice easier around work or caregiving. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy life and keep momentum between sessions.
Questions people ask about Leonard
What concerns does Leonard address?
He supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, parenting questions, and relationship or intimacy issues. He also helps with trauma, sleeping problems, ADHD, and caregiver strain.
How would you describe his therapeutic style?
Leonard focuses on an honest relationship and clear, practical work. He listens closely and helps people set manageable goals for change.
What is his background and experience?
He has worked as a clinician for 35 years and has long experience with complex trauma, cancer survivorship, and chronic illness concerns.
What credentials and region does he practice in?
He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, CA LMFT, practicing in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
He meets by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How does cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
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