MH Portrait of Megan Hougardy

Megan Hougardy, LMFT

Practical support for anxiety and life change

9 years in practice · based in California · sessions in English · online sessions

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About Megan

Megan Hougardy is a licensed marriage and family therapist with nine years of clinical experience in California. She helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and life changes. Megan focuses on practical steps people can use day to day to feel more grounded and clear.

Her approach is warm and nonjudgmental. She creates space for people to talk through difficult feelings and to name what matters to them. Sessions aim to make feelings and choices clearer rather than overwhelming.

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Background and approach

Megan uses a blend of practical methods. She draws on cognitive behavioral strategies to notice and shift unhelpful thinking patterns. Mindfulness and acceptance-based tools can help people tolerate strong emotions without getting stuck.

She also offers client-centered listening so individuals feel heard as they consider changes in work, relationships, or health. Hypnotherapy is among the approaches she may incorporate when appropriate and agreed upon with a client. Megan often supports people coping with family problems, attachment and abandonment wounds, loneliness, chronic illness or pain, and career challenges.

She also works with issues like guilt, shame, codependency, and compassion fatigue. Her aim is to help people build manageable habits and clearer priorities. To begin, Megan helps people set simple goals and small experiments between sessions.

The work emphasizes steady progress and practical tools that fit a person’s life.

How Megan’s approaches translate to online work

Megan uses cognitive behavioral techniques to help people notice and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. CBT is practical and problem-focused, which can help with anxiety, sleep problems, low mood, and stress-related issues.

She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which teaches skills to accept difficult feelings while committing to actions that match a person’s values. ACT can be useful for people feeling stuck, overwhelmed by worry, or unsure about life direction.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Megan will talk with each person about goals and preferences, and then try methods together to see what fits best. That way the plan adapts to real needs and daily life.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls let people have fuller face-to-face discussion when time and bandwidth allow. Phone sessions can be easier when video isn’t possible or when someone needs a shorter check-in. Live chat and text messaging provide quick ways to process small moments, practice skills, or get support between sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent amid work, caregiving, or health demands.
Explore online therapy options See what online therapy involves and what your next steps would be.

Questions people ask

What concerns does Megan commonly address?
Megan works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, sleep trouble, and coping with life changes. She also helps with relationship strain, career challenges, compassion fatigue, and family-of-origin issues.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is warm and nonjudgmental with a focus on practical steps. Sessions blend listening with techniques that people can try between meetings.
What sort of professional background does she have?
She has nine years of clinical experience working in California settings and supporting people through a range of emotional concerns.
What credentials and region are listed?
She holds the LMFT credential and practices in California.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English only and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
Work can take place via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to match different needs and schedules.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Session cost varies with location and therapist availability; services are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with therapy?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling based on therapist availability.

What this therapist works with

Most often

Experience
9 years
Licensed
California
Languages
English

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