- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Mindfulness techniques
- Psychodynamic perspectives
About Vanessa
Dr. Vanessa Prestridge Graf is a Doctor of Psychology and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 29 years of clinical experience in California. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, relationship and parenting struggles, anger, depression, addiction, grief, trauma, and related concerns such as self-esteem and intimacy problems.
Her approach is straightforward and practical. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change the thoughts that keep them stuck. She also draws on mindfulness techniques to reduce anxiety and lift mood, and psychodynamic ideas to look at how early beliefs shape current behavior.
In sessions she helps people name the recurring negativities they live by and then test and reframe those thoughts. She describes common unhelpful thought patterns and offers exercises to build more useful ways of thinking. Mindfulness practices are introduced to bring attention back to the present and interrupt anxious or depressive cycles.
She often links current relationship or parenting problems to beliefs formed in childhood. In that work she helps people recognize those patterns and consider different responses. The tone described in her materials includes insight and a sense of humor when appropriate, while keeping the focus on concrete change.
Dr. Graf encourages the steady practice of new habits between sessions. She asks for willingness to look at vulnerable areas and supports steps toward clearer thinking, calmer reactions, and more manageable daily routines.
How her approaches translate to online work
Dr. Graf uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify and change repeating negative thoughts. CBT provides concrete tools and exercises that can be practiced between sessions and reviewed during video or phone meetings. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention practices and breathing or grounding exercises that reduce anxiety and improve sleep when practiced regularly. Psychodynamic Therapy looks at how childhood beliefs shape current reactions and can help explain recurring patterns in relationships.Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will collaborate with clients to decide whether to emphasize CBT tools, mindfulness practices, or exploration of early beliefs. That decision comes from the client’s goals, daily life, and what feels most useful in early sessions.
The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm the current options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. They also let people try talk-based work and behavioral exercises from home or during a break at work, which can help practice new habits in real time.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
29+ years
Listed in
California, Colorado
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and parenting difficulties, anger, depression, addiction, grief, trauma, and related issues such as self-esteem and intimacy concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is practical and direct, focusing on identifying unhelpful thoughts, practicing mindfulness, and looking at how early beliefs affect current behavior.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 29 years of clinical experience working with adults on a wide range of emotional and relationship issues.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, licensed in California and listed as CA LMFT and CO LMFT in her credentials, and practices from California.
Which languages are used in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with clients outside the U.S.?
She accepts international clients.
What formats are available for sessions?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees and scheduling handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time; to start, complete the short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.