Tammy Foster, LCSW - Therapist in California

Attachment-based work
CBT and DBT skills
Addiction background

About Tammy

Tammy Foster is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in California with 22 years of experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship struggles, self-esteem, depression, grief, trauma, parenting challenges, ADHD, and other life changes related to work and family.

Her background includes many years working with substance use issues and adolescent treatment programs. Early in her career she served as an addiction specialist, interventionist, counselor, and administrator for an adolescent treatment center in Northern California. Those roles added practical experience in crisis moments and long-term recovery work.

Tammy uses several approaches in her sessions. She draws on attachment-based ideas to look at relationship patterns and codependency. She also uses client-centered methods that keep conversations focused on the person’s goals and strengths. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) tools appear when people need skills for mood and behavior changes.

Sessions are interactive and focused on what the client wants to change. Tammy mixes coaching and counseling techniques to set concrete steps and practice new habits. She has supported many people through major life transitions, grief, parenting stress, and career shifts.

Her work often centers on repairing communication, managing strong emotions, and improving self-regulation. Tammy has particular experience with attachment issues, codependency, avoidant personality patterns, and intimacy-related concerns. People come to her for straightforward help with daily coping, relationship repair, and learning lasting skills.

How Tammy’s approaches translate to online sessions

Tammy uses attachment-based work and cognitive behavioral tools to help people notice patterns and learn new responses. Attachment-based work looks at how past relationships shape current reactions, which can help with intimacy, codependency, and fear of abandonment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce anxiety and improve mood.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Tammy will help clients and potential clients decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, and she will adapt tools from different approaches as needed. The choice of techniques is collaborative and reviewed as progress is made.

Confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life - for example, a shorter video or phone check-in can be scheduled during a lunch break, and some formats use less data or do not require being on camera. Discuss format preferences when you schedule so sessions match daily routines and technical needs.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety AddictionsRelationship issuesSelf esteem Depression

Also works with

Family conflictsTrauma and abuse Grief Intimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issues Communication problems Control issuesDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgiveness Guilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivity InfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / loneliness Jealousy Life purpose Men's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issues Mood disorders Multicultural concerns Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues Workplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Gottman MethodJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

22+ years

Listed in

California

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address?

Tammy works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, depression, grief, parenting concerns, ADHD, career changes, and many related life challenges.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is interactive and goal-focused, combining client-centered conversation with practical skills and coaching steps.

How much experience does she have?

She has 22 years of experience, including work as an addiction specialist and administrator at an adolescent treatment center.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in California and practices in that state.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English.

Does she take international clients?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

How are sessions billed?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.