Yonna Swingholm, LCSW, LICSW - Therapist in California

About Yonna

Yonna Swingholm is a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of experience. She holds the LCSW and LICSW credentials and practices from California. Her work focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, and a range of life challenges using practical and relatable methods.

She trained with a master’s degree in social work and has practiced across multiple states. Yonna uses an integrative style that combines talk-based support with structured techniques.

Background and approach

Sessions aim to identify clear goals and then match methods that fit each person’s needs. Her approach is grounded in building a dependable therapeutic relationship first. From there she draws on cognitive-behavioral tools and client-centered listening to address symptoms and daily struggles.

She also includes mindfulness and motivational strategies when those make sense. In sessions she works collaboratively to pick methods the client will respond to. Yonna describes therapy as a team effort where the therapist and client decide what feels most helpful.

The emphasis is on practical steps that can be used between meetings. She also brings experience working with military communities and with tribal groups, and she has training in yoga and meditation instruction. Her background includes teaching clinicians about integrating holistic practices into care.

Overall, her aim is to help people move toward healing and greater balance.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person's experience. It creates a space where goals come from the client and the therapist follows your pace, which helps with life changes, grief, and relationship concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. It uses simple exercises and skills you can try between sessions to reduce anxiety, depression, and sleep issues.

She also uses mindfulness practices to help people notice thoughts and feelings without being overwhelmed. Mindfulness can be useful for stress, trauma recovery, and coping with strong emotions.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Yonna will collaborate with each person to identify what feels most helpful, combining methods as needed based on goals and preferences. The process is practical and flexible rather than one-size-fits-all.

Online sessions are available by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to continue care from different locations. The variety of formats also allows people to pick what feels most comfortable for talking through sensitive or practical concerns.

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.

Existential Therapy

Takes the larger questions seriously: meaning, choice, mortality, responsibility. Suited to periods when the difficulty is less a symptom than a sense that something has to change.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?

Yonna works with issues such as stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, parenting, relationship and intimacy-related problems, ADHD, addictions, and women's issues among others.

What is her therapeutic style like?

She uses an integrative, client-centered approach that emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and clear goals. Cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing are used as tools matched to each person.

How much experience does she have?

She has 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist and has trained in several treatment modalities, including work with military communities and tribal groups.

What are her credentials and where is she located?

She holds LCSW and LICSW credentials. License details include CA LCSW 68367 and WA LICSW LW00008005, and she practices from 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 to provide flexible options.

How does cost and billing work?

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

How do I begin working with her?

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

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 25 years
Licensed: Washington, California
Languages: English

Next step

Talk to Yonna

Takes a few minutes
Nothing to set up just to look
Stop at any point

Book with Yonna