- Thoughts and habits
- Culturally mindful care
- Practical emotion skills
About Francis
Francis Joseph Gallego is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with more than 22 years of experience. He helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, addiction, and trauma. He also supports those dealing with LGBT matters, parenting strain, career stress, and compassion fatigue. He approaches clients with respect, sensitivity, and compassion.
Francis adapts conversation and plans to each person's needs. He values cultural humility, diversity, and inclusion, and pays attention to how oppression and intergenerational trauma shape daily life. His work has included people impacted by chronic illness such as cancer and HIV/AIDS, and communities of color.
In sessions he draws on approaches that focus on thoughts and everyday habits as well as deeper relational patterns. He uses Attachment-Based ideas, client-centered listening, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for thinking patterns, Dialectical Behavior Therapy for emotion regulation, and Jungian perspectives for meaning and symbolism. These tools help him shape practical steps and reflective work together with the person in front of him.
Francis has practiced across New York, Hawaii, and California. He aims to make therapy a collaborative process where people feel heard and supported while working toward clearer goals. Taking the first step can feel hard, and he offers steady guidance through that early work.
Background and approach
Over two decades of practice inform his clinical judgment and flexibility. He balances direct, skills-based techniques with space for personal narrative and identity work. That means talking through thought patterns and daily habits, trying small behavioral changes, and also exploring attachment and family history when it matters. He helps people set reachable goals and checks progress along the way.
Francis adapts conversation and plans to each person's needs. He values cultural humility, diversity, and inclusion, and pays attention to how oppression and intergenerational trauma shape daily life. His work has included people impacted by chronic illness such as cancer and HIV/AIDS, and communities of color.
In sessions he draws on approaches that focus on thoughts and everyday habits as well as deeper relational patterns. He uses Attachment-Based ideas, client-centered listening, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for thinking patterns, Dialectical Behavior Therapy for emotion regulation, and Jungian perspectives for meaning and symbolism. These tools help him shape practical steps and reflective work together with the person in front of him.
Francis has practiced across New York, Hawaii, and California. He aims to make therapy a collaborative process where people feel heard and supported while working toward clearer goals. Taking the first step can feel hard, and he offers steady guidance through that early work.
Background and approach
Over two decades of practice inform his clinical judgment and flexibility. He balances direct, skills-based techniques with space for personal narrative and identity work. That means talking through thought patterns and daily habits, trying small behavioral changes, and also exploring attachment and family history when it matters. He helps people set reachable goals and checks progress along the way.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsRelationship issuesGriefIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigue
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAttachment issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionFamily problemsFatherhood issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesLife purposeMen's issuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWorkplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Jungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
22+ years
Credentials
California
Languages
English
How his approaches translate to online work
Francis often blends methods that address daily thinking and deeper relational patterns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and trying practical behavior changes to shift feelings and routines. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current trust, closeness, and communication patterns and can help when relationship or intimacy issues are central.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. That means trying skills-focused tools, exploring attachment patterns, or mixing both until the plan feels useful.
If you are considering online therapy, confirm the exact session formats before booking since formats were not specified in the biography. Many people find online options helpful for fitting sessions into their day, keeping regular appointments during busy weeks, or using shorter check-ins when time is limited. Online work can support practice of skills between sessions and make it easier to involve life context in conversation without requiring travel.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Francis help with?
He supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, parenting strain, LGBT-related concerns, career stress, bipolar concerns, and compassion fatigue.
What is his therapy style like?
Sessions combine listening with practical steps. He balances talking through thoughts and habits with emotion regulation and deeper exploration of family and attachment patterns.
How many years has he practiced?
He has 22 years of professional experience across New York, Hawaii, and California.
What credentials and region apply to his practice?
He is an LCSW licensed in California and practices with that credential in that state.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can he work with clients outside the United States?
He accepts international clients, so people outside the U.S. may be able to work with him depending on local rules and scheduling.
How are costs handled?
Fees vary with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a therapy relationship?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule based on the therapist's availability.