About Tara
Tara McBrearty is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in California with 30 years of clinical experience. She helps people who are dealing with anxiety, stress, depression, grief, addiction, and challenges in relationships and intimacy. Tara aims to make it easier to take the first step toward feeling better and more in control.
Her style is calm and cooperative. She listens closely and creates space for people to say what matters most to them.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on practical steps and clearer understanding rather than jargon or long theories. Tara uses a mix of approaches to match each person's situation. She draws on client-centered work to make people feel heard, cognitive behavioral ideas to address unhelpful thinking, and mindfulness to build steadiness in the moment.
She also uses motivational interviewing and narrative ideas when helpful to explore choices and personal stories. In sessions she helps people sort relationship conflicts, address barriers to intimacy, and rebuild self-trust. She supports those coping with job transitions, caregiver stress, sleep problems, and feelings of emptiness or isolation.
She also assists people working through family of origin issues, forgiveness, guilt, and problems with impulsivity. Tara emphasizes collaboration. Together with each client she sets goals, tries new ways of responding, and adjusts plans based on what works.
Her long experience informs a patient, respectful approach that aims to help people move toward greater balance and purpose.
Approaches that fit into online care
Client-centered therapy emphasizes listening and responding to each person as an individual. It helps people feel understood and shapes sessions around their priorities and pace. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts affect feelings and behavior and teaches simple skills to change unhelpful patterns. Mindfulness Therapy builds the ability to notice thoughts and feelings without reacting, which can reduce anxiety and improve focus.Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Tara will collaborate with each person to pick methods that match their goals, needs, and preferences. She checks in regularly and adjusts methods if something isn't helping.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy fit different lifestyles. Video calls let people read facial cues and have more in-depth conversation. Phone sessions are useful when lower bandwidth or being off camera is preferable. Live chat and text messaging can support shorter check-ins, skill practice, or ongoing support between longer sessions. These options make scheduling easier and help people keep therapy consistent around work, caregiving, or travel.
Questions people ask
What concerns does Tara often address?
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
How much clinical experience does she have?
What credentials and location are listed?
Which languages are available for sessions?
What session formats are offered online?
How is cost handled for therapy?
How do I begin working with Tara?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Relationship issues
- Intimacy-related issues
- Self esteem
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Stress, Anxiety
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 30 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you.