Desiree Alvarado , LCSW

Desiree Alvarado is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in California and Texas who brings clinical experience from settings that include child welfare, domestic violence services, mental health court programs, substance use treatment, and complex trauma work with law enforcement and first responders. She is EMDR trained, holds certifications in domestic violence peer counseling and child forensic interviewing, and is currently working toward a Drug and Alcohol Counselor certification.

Her work is grounded in a client-centered approach, with frequent use of cognitive behavioral techniques to help people identify the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to distress. She guides clients in developing practical skills and realistic strategies aimed at improving areas such as stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, relationships, parenting, grief, anger, and coping with life changes.

Desiree aims to build rapport and trust so clients can explore difficult material without judgment. She attends to attachment, codependency, communication problems, and other patterns that interfere with well-being, and she supports each person in clarifying goals and developing coping tools that fit their circumstances.

Approaches and Online Care with a Trauma-Informed Lens

Desiree integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and EMDR into her practice. Client-centered therapy emphasizes listening and collaboration - it helps people feel heard while they explore values, relationships, and goals. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and is useful for conditions like anxiety, depression, and problematic coping patterns. EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a structured approach used to process traumatic memories and reduce their ongoing emotional impact.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Desiree works collaboratively with clients and with licensed professionals when appropriate to identify which methods best match a person’s needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts strategies over time based on progress and feedback.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit care into busy lives or to maintain continuity during transitions. These options allow therapists to deliver practical skill-building, emotional support, and therapeutic interventions across different formats so clients can choose what feels most manageable and effective for them.