- Client-Centered Therapy
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused work
About Andrea
Dr. Andrea Shirley is a California licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 27 years of professional experience. She works with adults on stress, anxiety, LGBT concerns, relationship and family tension, and related struggles like self-esteem, grief, and trauma.
Dr. Shirley starts by listening to each person's story and recognizing their strengths. She treats clients as the experts on their own lives and helps them use what they already know to manage current problems. Sessions focus on clear goals and practical steps rather than long lectures or jargon.
Her approach often brings narrative ideas into the work, helping people reframe difficult chapters and see different possibilities. She also uses client-centered methods that prioritize the person’s perspective and comfort during sessions. Solution-focused techniques help clients set short-term goals and track small, concrete changes.
Over nearly three decades she has supported people facing trauma, relationship breakups, caregiving stress, career transitions, and issues like insomnia or anger. She also works with concerns tied to adoption, attachment, chronic illness, and compassion fatigue. Those themes commonly appear alongside anxiety and life-change challenges.
In sessions she aims for straightforward, conversational work. People can expect questions that clarify what matters most and simple experiments to try between sessions. She asks about practical barriers and plans manageable next steps so progress can fit into everyday life.
How her approaches translate to online work
Client-centered therapy focuses on the person's experience and perspective. In online sessions this means the therapist prioritizes listening closely, asking clarifying questions, and following the client’s lead to set the pace and direction.Narrative therapy helps people look at the stories they tell about themselves and try alternative ways of understanding events. Online sessions can use this approach to map patterns, name problems, and co-create new, more useful narratives about identity, relationships, or life transitions.
Solution-focused work concentrates on small, concrete steps and measurable progress. That makes it easy to set short goals during an online meeting and review outcomes at the next session, which many people find motivating.
Figuring out which approach fits best is part of the early work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to choose methods based on the person’s goals, circumstances, and preferences. That shared planning makes it easier to change direction if something isn’t working.
Specific online session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm available options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it simpler to fit therapy into busy schedules, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. They also let therapists use screen-shared worksheets or written exercises during a meeting, which can help with narrative or solution-focused tasks.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
27+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
Which concerns does she often help with?
She commonly helps people with stress, anxiety, LGBT issues, relationship and family conflict, self-esteem, grief, trauma, and related problems like sleep and anger.
What style of therapy does she use?
She uses client-centered conversations, narrative techniques to reframe difficult stories, and solution-focused work that targets concrete short-term goals.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 27 years of professional experience working with adults on a range of concerns.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is a California LMFT and practices in California.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed in the biography.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies with location and sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.