- Years in practice
- 32
- Credentials
- LMFT
- Licensed in
- California
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Parenting issues
About Denae
Denae Leigon is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with more than three decades of experience. She focuses on helping parents and individuals who are juggling stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, or changes in life. Her approach is calm and direct, aimed at practical shifts that make daily life easier for people under pressure.
Before moving into independent practice she spent 19 years at a county children’s mental health department.
Background and approach
There she led parenting classes and support groups, supervised other clinicians, and worked with people to improve communication and stability. She also provided therapy in a juvenile detention setting, which shaped her skill with complex, high-stress situations. Denae uses client-centered methods that keep the person’s goals in focus.
She pairs that with cognitive behavioral techniques that help challenge unhelpful thinking and build new behavior patterns. Attachment-based ideas guide her work when relationships and bonding are at the center of the concern. Sessions aim to be straightforward and practical.
Denae listens first, then helps set clear steps to test in real life. She emphasizes small, manageable changes that add up over time. Her style is warm and encouraging while remaining goal-oriented.
Parents who want support with coping, improving communication, or changing daily routines will find concrete tools and steady guidance.
What Denae works with
Everything Denae lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Denae helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Parenting issues
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
Approaches Denae lists
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Attachment-based work looks at how people connect and respond in close relationships. Online sessions use conversation and exercises to notice patterns, improve emotional safety, and repair connection when trust has been shaken.Client-centered therapy centers the person’s own goals and pace. In remote sessions the therapist listens without judgment and helps clients name priorities, make choices, and try new ways of interacting at home.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. Over video or messaging clients can learn simple tools to reframe thinking and practice small experiments between sessions. This approach is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress that affects daily routines.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, life demands, and what feels most useful. Together they will pick and adjust methods so the plan fits the person’s needs.
Online formats make therapy easier to fit into busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can suit shorter check-ins or low-bandwidth situations. Live chat and text messaging support brief progress checks, coaching between meetings, or a written way to process feelings. These options let clients use the format that best matches their schedule and comfort.
Questions people ask about Denae
What concerns does this therapist address?
Denae focuses on stress, anxiety, relationship strain, parenting challenges, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, addiction concerns, ADHD, and related issues.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is compassionate and open. She uses client-centered work alongside cognitive behavioral techniques and attachment ideas to build practical changes.
How much experience does she have?
She brings 32 years of clinical experience, including 19 years at a county children’s mental health department and work in juvenile hall settings.
What credentials and location should I know about?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, practicing in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.
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