Lourdes Mayes, LCSW

Lourdes Mayes is a California-based licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who speaks English and Spanish and brings 21 years of experience to her practice. She focuses on everyday thoughts and habits that shape emotional life, helping people notice unhelpful patterns and learn new ways of responding. Her approach aims to make daily life more manageable and meaningful. Lourdes works with people facing anxiety, depression, stress, grief, addiction, trauma and relationship concerns. She also supports those coping with body image, self-esteem, parenting strains, intimacy and mood fluctuations such as bipolar-related challenges. She tends to focus on practical skills that people can use between sessions. In sessions she creates a calm, nonjudgmental space where clients can talk through what’s happening in their lives. Conversations focus on understanding how thoughts, feelings and behavior interact, and on building communication and problem-solving skills. She emphasizes empathy, respect, and concrete steps that help clients move forward. Her work often includes activities to strengthen connection and intimacy, manage anger, and address coping during life changes. She collaborates with clients to identify root contributors to problems and then tries out new habits and strategies. Progress is framed as gradual and practical rather than quick fixes. Lourdes invites people to explore change at a pace that fits them and to bring their real-life concerns into the room. She aims to help clients discover what small shifts lead to meaningful improvements over time.

How these approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts without getting stuck in them and clarifies personal values to guide action. It can be useful for anxiety, depression and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying patterns of thinking and behavior and trying practical experiments to change them; it often helps with anxiety, depression, and everyday habit changes. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current ways of relating and can be useful when working on intimacy, communication, and connection concerns.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide what methods fit their goals, preferences, and day-to-day needs. Clients are invited to give feedback so the plan can be adjusted over time.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Many people find online sessions help fit therapy into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and allow for more frequent check-ins. Others appreciate being able to use different tools during a session, such as worksheets or in-the-moment behavior experiments. Discussing logistics and what works best is part of the first meetings so sessions can match everyday life.