About Deana
Deana Medina is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California who helps people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, low self-esteem, and depression. She focuses on practical steps that feel manageable and meets people where they are. Deana aims for straightforward, compassionate work so clients feel heard and understood from the first session.
She uses a mix of approaches to match each person’s needs. That can include somatic work that connects body sensations to emotions, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to clarify values and action, and cognitive behavioral tools to address thinking patterns.
Background and approach
The goal is to build skills that clients can use between sessions. Deana keeps sessions centered on the client. Conversations are shaped to fit each person’s situation and goals, whether the concern is persistent worry, past trauma, or trouble moving through a life change.
She pays attention to how people experience emotions in their bodies as well as in their thoughts. Her style is respectful and down-to-earth. She emphasizes direct, simple strategies alongside deeper reflection when it helps.
The focus is on steady progress rather than quick fixes. With four years of clinical work and a California LMFT license, Deana combines practical tools with warm support. She provides care in English and works with clients online through video, phone, live chat, or messaging.
To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions according to availability.
Approaches that translate to online care
Somatic work focuses on noticing body sensations and how they relate to feelings and reactions. Online sessions can include guided awareness of breath, posture, and bodily shifts to help people regulate stress and process trauma. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people name their values and take small actions toward them while learning to sit with difficult thoughts. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and trouble making life changes.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, and then adjust methods as needed. That collaborative process helps identify whether body-focused techniques, values-based work, or cognitive tools will best support the client’s progress.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy days and to practice skills between meetings. Licensed professionals can guide breathing exercises, coach through difficult moments, and provide worksheets or messages between live sessions to reinforce progress.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
What is her therapeutic style like?
How much clinical experience does she have?
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
Which languages are supported for sessions?
What session formats are available?
How is cost handled for sessions?
How do I start working with her?
Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
Therapeutic approaches
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
- Experience
- 4 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English