- Anxiety and stress
- Addiction recovery
- Career concerns
About Andrea
Andrea Plate is a California licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 20 years of experience. She works with people dealing with anxiety, addiction, life changes, relationship conflict, career concerns, and related stressors.
For about 15 years she ran a residential substance abuse treatment program within the West Los Angeles Department of Veterans Affairs. In that role she worked with people experiencing homelessness and chronic mental health conditions. She now sees individuals from the general population and brings that practice experience into one-on-one work.
Her sessions focus on practical steps as well as understanding patterns that keep problems repeating. She draws on client-centered methods to listen and build a collaborative plan. Cognitive behavioral techniques are used to identify thoughts and behaviors that feed anxiety and low mood.
Motivational interviewing is part of how she supports people facing addiction or difficult changes, helping them find reasons to move forward. Psychodynamic ideas can help when longer-term patterns or past losses shape current struggles. Solution-focused tools are used when people want concrete short-term goals.
Andrea also teaches social welfare and addiction at a university in West Los Angeles, which she says keeps her practice connected to current issues and approaches. She adapts conversations and planning to each person’s situation and goals.
If you are looking for a clinician in California who combines years of clinical program work with university teaching, Andrea offers that background in her one-on-one practice.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Andrea commonly uses client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in her practice. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a plan that fits the person’s priorities, which helps when someone needs a space to talk through worries. Cognitive behavioral therapy targets specific thoughts and behaviors that maintain anxiety or low mood and offers practical exercises to try between sessions.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She discusses goals and preferences with each person and adapts methods over time. Together you decide whether to emphasize skill-building, problem-solving, or exploring longer-term patterns based on what feels most helpful.
The practical benefits of working online include fitting sessions around work and caregiving, reducing travel time, and making it easier to keep regular appointments. The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current online options before booking. The focus is on approaches that can be used in virtual sessions and on making therapy fit into everyday life without needing extra travel.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addiction, career problems, relationship conflict, grief, low self-esteem, depression and related issues.
What style of therapy should I expect?
She uses client-centered conversation alongside cognitive behavioral techniques and solution-focused tools to set goals and change unhelpful patterns.
How much experience does she have?
She has 20 years of professional experience, including running a residential substance abuse program at the West Los Angeles VA for nearly 15 years.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a California LCSW and practices in California.
Which languages are offered for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the US work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions scheduled and what does cost look like?
Cost varies by location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I start a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.