Works with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Depression
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LMFT
- Licensed in
- California, Colorado
- Years in practice
- 29
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Vanessa
Dr. Vanessa Prestridge Graf helps people manage strong emotions and everyday struggles like stress, anxiety, anger, depression, and relationship problems. She brings nearly three decades of experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist and speaks plainly about how thoughts and early life beliefs shape current behavior.
Her style is direct and down-to-earth. She listens first, then helps people spot the thinking patterns that keep them stuck. She uses practical steps to reframe negative thoughts and build healthier responses to triggers.
Background and approach
Mindfulness practices are woven into sessions to reduce worry and improve focus. Dr. Graf draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to challenge unhelpful thought habits.
She also uses psychodynamic ideas to look at how early experiences influence present choices. Sessions aim to be collaborative, with clear goals and everyday tools clients can try between meetings. People come to her for help with parenting stress, intimacy or communication problems, grief, addiction-related concerns, and body image or self-esteem struggles.
She also supports those facing trauma, family conflict, and difficulties linked to bipolar or mood shifts. Anger management is one of the issues she addresses in practical, skill-focused work. Her approach balances skill building and self-reflection.
Expect a mix of short exercises, mindful attention practices, and talk that connects past patterns to current habits. Dr. Graf encourages steady change through repeated practice and honest conversation.
What Vanessa works with
Everything Vanessa lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Vanessa's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Vanessa lists
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How her methods translate to online therapy
Dr. Graf commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness in her online work. CBT focuses on spotting and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which helps with anxiety, depression, anger, and relationship patterns. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve emotional regulation.She also draws on psychodynamic ideas to connect present struggles to earlier life patterns and attachment influences. That work is often explored in conversation and reflection during sessions, helping clarify why certain reactions repeat over time. Choosing an approach is a team effort; she will collaborate to find the mix that best fits goals, preferences, and the issue at hand.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls are useful for face-to-face interaction and hands-on skill coaching. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or for quick check-ins. Live chat and text-based messaging allow brief, focused exchanges and ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and keep momentum between appointments.
Questions people ask about Vanessa
What concerns does she help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, anger, relationship and parenting challenges, addictions, trauma, grief, self-esteem and body image concerns, and related issues.
What is her general approach in sessions?
Her style is collaborative and plainspoken. She helps people identify unhelpful thoughts, practice new responses, and use mindfulness to reduce reactivity.
How much experience does she have?
She has 29 years of clinical experience working with adults on a wide range of emotional and relational concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with licensure in California and Colorado and is based in California.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
Therapy is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on what fits the person.
How does cost and billing work?
Costs vary with location and session choices; services use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session based on the therapist's availability.