- Family and parenting
- Adoption and attachment
- LGBTQ support
About Chelsea
Chelsea Heller is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California who helps people facing parenting and family challenges. She speaks plainly and aims to create a warm, respectful space so clients can talk through what matters most. Chelsea draws on years of direct experience with adoption, foster care, and school-based supports to guide practical next steps.
Before moving into school psychology, she spent nine years as a social worker at Child Protective Services supporting children and families touched by foster care and adoption. That work gave her hands-on experience with attachment and identity concerns and with helping parents navigate blended-family issues. She also worked in an in-patient psychiatric hospital where she helped stabilize people in short-term crisis and supported families learning how to help a loved one.
In her current role as a school psychologist she conducts psychoeducational assessments and helps design plans for students with autism, AD/HD, learning differences, and other educational needs. She also provides related counseling for students with higher mental health needs and has led school groups focused on LGBTQ student support.
Chelsea uses an eclectic style but emphasizes a client-centered approach that meets each person where they are. She draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing to help people set clear goals and try practical strategies. Sessions focus on collaboration, honest conversation, and steps that fit everyday life.
Her areas of focus include stress, anxiety, parenting, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and family problems, ADHD, depression, bipolar concerns, gender dysphoria, and self-esteem issues. Chelsea works in English and practices in California as an LMFT.
How Chelsea uses evidence-based methods online
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and building a supportive relationship so people feel heard and can choose their own pace and path. This approach is helpful for parents and anyone working through identity, attachment, or family stress.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thought and behavior and tries practical experiments to shift unhelpful cycles. CBT can be useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and some parenting challenges where concrete strategies are helpful.
Finding the right approach is part of the process. Chelsea works together with each person to decide which methods fit their goals, needs, and pace. She blends techniques as needed and checks in regularly to make sure the plan still fits.
If you are considering online sessions, confirm the specific session formats before booking so you know what to expect. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so families can access help between school and work. Licensed professionals can use these formats to continue the same collaborative, goal-focused work Chelsea practices in her in-person roles.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns can Chelsea help with?
Chelsea focuses on parenting and family issues and also works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, ADHD, depression, bipolar concerns, relationship and family problems, self-esteem, anger, career transitions, and gender dysphoria.
How would you describe Chelsea's therapy style?
Her approach is client-centered and collaborative. She also draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing to set goals and try practical strategies.
What is her background and experience?
She spent nine years as a social worker at Child Protective Services and has worked in an in-patient psychiatric hospital; she now works as a school psychologist conducting assessments and providing counseling.
What credentials does she hold and where does she practice?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California and holds additional degrees and certificates in counseling and education.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She does not accept international clients.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Chelsea?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule based on therapist availability.