Elisabeth VanBuskirk, LMFT - Therapist in California

Stress and anxiety
Trauma and grief
Self esteem work

About Elisabeth

Elisabeth VanBuskirk is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with 35 years of professional experience. She helps people who struggle with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem, and depression. Elisabeth focuses on practical, straightforward support when social situations feel overwhelming or when loss and past hurts interfere with daily life.

She listens and helps people say what matters to them. Sessions involve noticing patterns, rehearsing new reactions, and trying small changes between meetings. She encourages clear, simple goals so progress can be tracked week to week.

Over three and a half decades of work have shaped her approach. Elisabeth has supported people dealing with abandonment, attachment concerns, blended family issues, and challenges around adoption and foster care. She has also worked with those facing chronic illness, body image struggles, eating-related issues, and relationship communication problems.

Her practice addresses difficult life events such as divorce, separation, domestic violence, and grief. She also attends to related symptoms like dissociation, dependent personality traits, codependency, and commitment worries. The focus is on practical steps that reduce distress and increase the ability to act in valued ways.

Sessions are conducted in English from her California license. Costs vary by location and use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session using the See online therapy options button.

How evidence-based techniques are used in online sessions

Elisabeth uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical skills. One common approach teaches people to spot unhelpful thinking and test it with small behavioral experiments. This helps with anxiety and low mood by breaking cycles of avoidance and self-doubt.

Another approach emphasizes paced exposure to feared situations and gradual practice of new responses. It involves planning manageable steps to face social fears or triggers, then checking what worked and adjusting the plan. This method is often used for anxiety, phobias, and trauma-related avoidance.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Elisabeth collaborates with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and comfort level, and she adapts the plan as progress and feedback come in.

Confirm the current session options before booking, since formats were not specified in the biography. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and cut down travel time. They also allow shorter check-ins when schedules require it, or options that reduce the need to be on camera if that helps someone engage more comfortably.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Self esteem Depression

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issues Communication problemsDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgiveness Guilt and shame Isolation / lonelinessMidlife crisisMood disorders Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacks Post-traumatic stress Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issues

Experience

35+ years

Listed in

California

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she help with?

She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem issues, and depression, along with related topics such as attachment concerns and relationship communication problems.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her approach is practical and straightforward, focusing on noticing patterns, setting clear short-term goals, and trying small changes between sessions.

How much experience does she have?

Elisabeth has 35 years of professional experience as a clinician working with a wide range of emotional and relational concerns.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and works from California.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

She is not currently accepting international clients.

How are sessions paid for?

Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

What should I do to get started?

Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.