Connie St. James , LMFT

Connie St. James is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who brings decades of life experience and formal training to her work with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Northridge in 1987 and completed a Master of Arts in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy in 1989 at the California Family Study Center, now known as Phillips Graduate University. After completing a 3,000-hour internship and passing the state written and oral examinations, she received her license in 1992 as a Marriage and Family Therapist - LMFT, which identifies her as a licensed practitioner trained to work with individuals, couples, and families.

During her early clinical training Connie worked in a variety of settings, including a psychiatric hospital, a drug and alcohol treatment center, and a facility serving abused children. She maintained small private practices in West Los Angeles and later in Palm Desert, where she also led groups addressing major depression. Following a period living and working in other fields, including more than twenty years in real estate, she continued to draw on counseling skills in both personal and professional relationships and in managing her own aging process.

Now in her later years, Connie has a strong desire to help others improve their lives. She combines person-centered, cognitive, and behavioral approaches, bringing a patient, empathic, and nonjudgmental stance to therapy. Connie focuses on understanding each person’s story - what is working, what is not, and the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that shape everyday life - and she works collaboratively to identify unhelpful patterns and support clearer goals and greater well-being.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Connie utilizes a blend of person-centered, cognitive, and behavioral methods to support clients in making meaningful changes. Person-centered work emphasizes empathy and acceptance, helping people explore their values, build self-esteem, and clarify life decisions. Cognitive techniques focus on identifying and reframing unhelpful thoughts that contribute to anxiety, depression, or low self-worth, while behavioral strategies target practical changes in routines and coping skills to reduce stress and improve daily functioning.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Connie and the client work together to assess needs, set goals, and try methods that fit the client’s preferences and situation. Licensed professionals and therapists often adapt techniques over time, and Connie tailors the work to align with each person’s pace and priorities.

Online sessions through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging make it easier to access therapy from home, work, or while traveling. These options provide flexibility in scheduling, allow for continuity of care during life transitions, and enable ongoing support using the communication style that works best for the client.