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LB Portrait of Leonard Burns

Leonard Burns

Calm, grounded therapy rooted in experience

LMFT California

Experience
35 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages
English

About Leonard

Leonard Burns is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California with 35 years of clinical experience.

Background and approach

He works with people facing a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy-related issues, grief, addictions, depression, self-esteem struggles, sleep problems, ADHD, compassion fatigue, and parenting challenges. His practice also addresses complex areas such as attachment and abandonment issues, blended family dynamics, caregiving stress, chronic illness and pain, and dissociation.

Burns blends a client-centered stance with evidence-informed techniques drawn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), attachment-based approaches, existential perspectives, and EMDR. He emphasizes an honest therapeutic relationship as the foundation for meaningful change and draws on decades of experience across diverse life situations to tailor interventions to each person’s needs.

Clients can expect a collaborative process that balances practical skills with attention to underlying patterns and life meaning. Licensed in California (CA LMFT 25369), he offers care in English and provides sessions through multiple online formats depending on availability and subscription arrangements.

Approaches for Online Work and What to Expect



Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) emphasizes identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms and improve daily functioning; it is often used for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and stress-related concerns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying values, increasing psychological flexibility, and learning strategies to accept difficult thoughts and feelings while pursuing meaningful action, which can help with grief, coping with life changes, and chronic stress. Attachment-Based Therapy explores early relational patterns and their current impact on relationships and intimacy, helping people understand and shift long-standing interaction styles.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences and may integrate elements from different methods to create a tailored plan. Clients can expect an ongoing conversation about what is working and adjustments as therapy progresses.

Online sessions are offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to access care from home or other convenient locations. These formats support flexible scheduling and steady continuity of care while allowing the therapist to use CBT, ACT, and attachment-focused interventions effectively across modalities.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Leonard address?
He supports people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy-related issues, grief, addictions, depression, sleep problems, ADHD, compassion fatigue, parenting challenges, and related concerns such as attachment and chronic illness.
What is his therapeutic style and approach?
His work combines a client-centered stance with practical, evidence-informed methods including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), attachment-based work, existential perspectives, and EMDR to address symptoms and underlying patterns.
How much clinical experience does he bring?
He has 35 years of experience as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, working with a wide variety of life challenges and populations over his career.
Where is he licensed and based?
He is licensed in California as an LMFT with license number CA LMFT 25369 and provides services from that state.
Does he offer services in other languages or to international clients?
He provides services in English and is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How does pricing and payment work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGrief

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemDepressionCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryVisually impairedWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Jungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

35+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English