About Yonna
Yonna Swingholm brings 25 years of psychotherapy experience to her work in California. She holds a Master of Social Work and practices as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). She prefers a clear, straightforward style and focuses on practical goals that matter to each person she meets.
Her approach is integrative and centered on the relationship between therapist and client. She uses client-centered methods alongside cognitive-behavioral techniques to identify what a person wants to change.
Background and approach
Sessions begin with learning the main goals and then matching methods that fit those goals. Yonna has a long history working with military populations and with Native tribes across North America. She also brings experience with issues such as trauma, grief, addiction, mood concerns, relationships, sexuality, and career stress.
She explains options plainly to help people decide what to try first. She often combines mindfulness practices and motivational interviewing with more structured work when that helps a client reach a goal. She also teaches yoga and meditation, and she has led seminars on holistic treatment in healthcare.
These tools are offered as options when they make sense for a person’s needs. Sessions aim to be collaborative and goal-focused. Yonna helps people break larger problems into manageable steps.
She works to create a pace that fits each person’s comfort level and capacity for change.
Therapeutic approaches and how they work online
Client-centered therapy focuses on the relationship and on listening closely to what matters most. It helps people feel heard and supported while they decide which changes to try. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the connections between thoughts, feelings, and actions and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns. Existential therapy talks through questions of meaning and purpose and can help when someone is facing life transitions or wondering what matters next.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will start by asking about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped in the past. Together they will try methods that fit the person’s needs and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Online formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and deeper work. Phone sessions can be a good fit when you need to speak without video or have limited bandwidth. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for short check-ins, coaching-style support, or when writing feels more comfortable. These options increase flexibility and let people choose the method that works best for their routine and energy levels.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- First responder issues
- Guilt and shame
- Intimacy-related issues
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Sleeping disorders
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 25 years
- Licensed
- Washington, California
- Languages
- English