Licensed clinical social worker recordCalifornia
Desiree Alvarado, LCSW
California
Licensed Clinical Social Worker - anxiety and addiction
Continue with DesireeCredentials check
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in California
- LCSW, licence 101338
- Licensed in Texas
- LCSW, licence 112461
- NPI
- 1750058905
- Experience
- 4 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- California
These details come from information Desiree supplied to BetterHelp. A licence can be checked with the social work board of the state that issued it, and an NPI with the national registry.
AAbout
- CBT strategies
- DBT skills
- Mindfulness work
About Desiree
Desiree Alvarado is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in California and Texas, with four years of clinical experience. She focuses on common and urgent concerns such as stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, relationship issues, grief, parenting strain, and managing mood disorders. Sessions are conducted in English and aim to address practical problems people face day to day.
Her approach centers on listening closely and helping people notice the thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. She uses client-centered work alongside cognitive behavioral strategies to help people test unhelpful thinking and try new behaviors. She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy skills and mindfulness techniques for emotion regulation and grounding.
Desiree has background working in child welfare, domestic violence response, mental health court programs, and substance use settings. That work included supporting people affected by complex trauma and collaborating with law enforcement and first responder systems. This experience shapes how she manages safety, crisis history, and practical barriers in sessions.
In therapy she aims to help people build realistic tools for everyday life - coping skills for panic or anxiety, steps to manage cravings, or routines to stabilize mood. Conversations tend to focus on small, concrete changes that can reduce stress and improve functioning at home and work.
Getting started involves a short matching questionnaire and scheduling a first session. Fees vary by location and use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
BHow sessions work
Clinical approaches used in online sessions
Client-centered work means the therapist listens to what matters to the client and organizes sessions around those priorities. This approach helps clarify problems and decide practical steps to try between meetings.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with real-life actions. It is often used for anxiety, depression, panic, and stress-related problems where changing thought patterns can change feelings and behavior.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills teach concrete techniques for managing intense emotions, reducing impulsive reactions, and improving communication. Those skills can help with mood swings, anger, and problems with stress tolerance.
Finding the right method is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with clients to choose which approaches to use based on needs and preferences. That process includes checking whether a technique is working and adjusting plans as goals change.
The biography does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make sessions easier to fit into a weeknight or a lunch break, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Therapists can use skills training, thought records, and behavioral experiments in remote sessions just as they do in person, helping translate what is practiced in session into everyday life.
CAreas of focus
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
4+ years
Listed in
California, Texas
Languages
English
DQuestions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, relationship issues, grief, parenting challenges, mood disorders, and related concerns.
How does she approach therapy?
Work is client-centered and practical, with regular use of cognitive behavioral techniques and skills from dialectical behavior therapy and mindfulness when useful.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has four years of clinical experience and prior work in child welfare, domestic violence response, mental health court programs, and substance use services.
Is she a licensed clinician in the United States?
Yes. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in California and Texas.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
The biography does not list specific session formats. Confirm current session options before booking so you know how sessions are delivered.
How are sessions paid for?
Fees vary by location and use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, call 911, or call or text 988. More crisis numbers