- Relationship patterns
- Cognitive behavioral tools
- Attachment focus
About Sheila
Sheila Brittain is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with six years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, grief, anger, and life transitions. Sheila also supports those dealing with trauma and abuse, caregiver stress, and issues tied to family of origin.
Sheila draws on decades of social services experience before becoming a therapist. She uses a collaborative style that focuses on practical change. Sessions look at how beliefs, feelings, and patterns shape daily life. Sheila helps clients notice what repeats and decide what to act on next.
Her approach emphasizes relationships and attachments. That can mean tracing how early family patterns affect current conflicts. Sheila also uses cognitive behavioral tools to surface unhelpful thoughts and test different behaviors. Mindfulness practices and motivational interviewing are used to increase awareness and strengthen commitment to change.
Work in sessions is straightforward. Clients talk through problems, try new ways of responding, and reflect on what works. Sheila mixes talk, skill-building, and gentle challenge to help people shift interaction patterns and reduce recurring friction. She supports practical goals such as better sleep, clearer communication, or calmer responses to triggers.
Sheila brings a background in mediation and small business consulting to her clinical work. That experience informs how she helps people negotiate boundaries, make decisions, and manage conflict in daily life.
How her approach adapts to online work
Sheila combines attachment-based ideas with cognitive behavioral tools to help people change how they respond to triggers. Attachment-based work looks at how early relationship patterns shape current reactions and helps people spot repeated interaction habits. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing practical behavior changes to reduce anger, anxiety, and low mood.She also uses client-centered techniques to keep the work grounded in each person's goals. Figuring out the right mix of approaches is part of the process. Sheila plans the work collaboratively so the methods match a client's needs, goals, and preferences rather than imposing a single route forward.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current online session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a workday, allow shorter check-ins when time is tight, or remove the need to travel to an appointment. Licensed professionals can use video or phone in different ways to focus on skills practice, thought work, or communication rehearsal depending on what the client needs.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
Sheila works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, grief, anger, trauma and related concerns such as caregiver stress and codependency.
What is her general therapy style?
She uses a collaborative, relational approach that combines talk, skill-building, and practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has six years of experience as an LMFT and over 30 years in social services prior to clinical practice.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensed in California and practices from that state.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can she work with people outside the United States?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
How are sessions scheduled and what formats are used?
Please confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered for your situation.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.