Sharon (Shonnie) Brown, LMFT - Therapist in California

About Sharon

Sharon (Shonnie) Brown is a licensed marriage and family therapist with three decades of experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationships, self-esteem, career concerns, ADHD, trauma, grief, intimacy issues, sleep problems, parenting challenges, anger, depression, and coping with life changes. Her tone is direct but caring, and she uses practical tools like goal setting, coping skills, mindfulness, and writing exercises.

Shonnie trained at the University of California, Berkeley and earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology from John F.

Background and approach

Kennedy University in Orinda, California. Her work blends several approaches to match what each person needs in the moment. She often draws on attachment ideas and CBT to help shift patterns that cause pain.

She has led groups on separation and divorce, infidelity, co-parenting education, and social anxiety. Those experiences inform her work with people facing transitions, toxic workplace stress, and relationship ruptures. She also incorporates material on childhood trauma when that history is relevant.

Sessions tend to be straightforward and honest. She helps clients learn to notice and name emotions, build self-compassion, and develop self-soothing skills. Writing is offered as an optional tool for reflection and healing.

Shonnie emphasizes steady progress rather than quick fixes. She supports small, manageable steps toward clearer boundaries, better communication, and more self-care. Her practice is based in California and she provides services in English.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns. It helps people notice how they relate to others and build more stable connections by understanding needs and fears. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. It teaches concrete strategies to change unhelpful thinking and improve mood and reactions.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your goals and preferences and suggest methods that fit your situation. If one method isn’t helping, she works with you to adjust the plan and try other techniques together.

Online therapy offers several practical benefits. Video calls let you have face-to-face sessions from home while phone sessions provide an option without video. Live chat or text-based messaging can support shorter check-ins or ongoing reflection between sessions. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to maintain continuity during transitions.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, relationship troubles, self-esteem, career questions, ADHD, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy issues, sleep problems, parenting, anger, and depression among other life challenges.

How would you describe her therapy style?

Her style is honest, direct, and compassionate. Sessions focus on practical skills, emotional awareness, and steady steps toward change.

What is her clinical background?

She holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and an M.A. in counseling psychology from John F. Kennedy University, and brings over 30 years of clinical experience.

What are her credentials and where is she located?

She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, CA LMFT 30787, practicing in California.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.

How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?

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

How does someone begin working with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Self esteem

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 30 years
Licensed: California
Languages: English

Next step

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