Leslie Libutti , LCSW

Leslie Libutti is a licensed clinical social worker in California who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, depression, and major life changes. She brings 20 years of professional experience and a practical, steady approach to sessions. Leslie aims to help clients clarify goals and strengthen coping skills so they can move forward with more confidence.

Her work is conversational and focused. She listens, asks straightforward questions, and helps people notice patterns that get in the way. Clients often look at unhelpful habits and beliefs, then try small changes that make daily life easier.

Leslie uses Client-Centered methods to follow each person’s lead and to build a trusting working relationship. She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and shift negative thinking. At times she incorporates Existential ideas to help people find purpose and meaning during transitions.

She sometimes brings poetry into sessions to help clients name feelings and see their experience in new ways. Poetry is offered as a tool to deepen insight and spark conversation, not as a requirement.

Leslie works with concerns that commonly affect women and supports issues like body image, caregiver strain, codependency, and life purpose. She frames therapy as a collaborative process and encourages realistic steps toward better daily functioning.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Leslie uses Client-Centered Therapy to make the work personal and collaborative, letting the client set the pace while she offers reflection and support. Client-Centered work is helpful for people who want a therapist who listens closely and follows their priorities.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at how thoughts affect feelings and behaviors and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns. CBT is often useful for stress, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Leslie works together with each person to figure out which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She adjusts techniques over time so sessions stay practical and relevant.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video calls let people use visual cues and longer conversation, phone sessions can be quicker check-ins or easier when bandwidth is low, live chat suits shorter problem-solving moments, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and keep steady progress.