Leslie Sigala , LMFT

Leslie Sigala is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California. She brings 12 years of clinical experience and a calm, practical style to sessions. Leslie speaks English and Spanish and often focuses on women's issues among other concerns.

She uses clear, down-to-earth approaches to help people manage anxiety, depression, and stress. She also supports clients facing trauma, postpartum changes, relationship and intimacy concerns, and challenges with body image or self-esteem. Sessions are conversational and goal-oriented, with an emphasis on what helps day to day.

Leslie draws on Client-Centered methods to build a trusting space where people feel heard. She blends cognitive behavioral tools for changing unhelpful thinking and DBT skills for managing emotions and strong reactions. Mindfulness and emotionally focused ideas are used when helpful to reconnect with values and relationships.

Her background includes work with trauma, domestic violence, immigration-related stress, and caregiving strain. She also has experience supporting people with mood disorders, addictions, and sleep or eating struggles. Leslie adapts plans to each person’s situation rather than using a one-size-fits-all method.

Practical steps are part of most sessions. Clients can expect concrete coping strategies, skills practice, and check-ins on what’s changing between sessions. The tone is respectful, direct, and aimed at helping people move toward clearer choices and more stable routines.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building trust while following the client's own goals; online sessions let that same supportive conversation happen by video or phone. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical skills to change them; CBT exercises and homework adapt well to remote sessions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills and is useful for managing strong emotions and relationship stress during life transitions.

Deciding which approach to use is a shared process. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and preferences, then suggest a mix of methods to try. Progress is checked together and techniques are adjusted as things change.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which offer flexibility for different days and needs. Video is good for face-to-face interaction and skill demonstrations. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth or cameras are limited, or for shorter check-ins. Chat or text messaging can support quick questions, brief coaching, or ongoing skills practice between sessions. These options help people fit therapy into busy lives and keep work moving forward without a commute.