Stephen Creel, LMFT

Stephen Creel is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 24 years of clinical experience. He draws on his own life changes - from a career as a drummer in Hollywood clubs to training in clinical psychology - to guide people through stress and anxiety. Stephen writes plainly and listens closely to help people feel steadier in day-to-day life.

He earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2001 and has worked in rehabs and private offices since then. That wide experience includes supporting people with addiction, trauma, depression, codependency, and panic. He uses what he learned in those settings to shape practical work with each person.

Stephen approaches therapy as a partnership. He helps people name the beliefs that cause pain, such as feeling not good enough or unwanted, and then tests and shifts those beliefs. Sessions focus on clear steps and talk that lead to small, manageable changes.

His toolbox includes Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Motivational Interviewing, and Trauma-Focused Therapy. Stephen adapts methods to the problem at hand, whether that is recovery from substance use, panic attacks, or grief.

People meet Stephen to work on relationships, parenting strain, career stress, and life transitions. He aims to help clients feel more authentic and at rest with themselves.

How Stephen’s approaches translate to online work

Stephen often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy in his work. CBT focuses on spotting and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that feed anxiety and depression. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist listens and follows the person’s lead.

He also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for trauma-related symptoms. EMDR involves structured processing of traumatic memories to reduce their emotional charge and is often used when past events continue to cause panic, nightmares, or avoidance.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about their goals and preferences, then try methods that fit those needs. Treatment decisions are collaborative and can change as progress is made.

Session formats are not specified in the provided biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy life, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins during a workday, and let people choose quieter surroundings or a lower-bandwidth option such as audio if video is difficult. Licensed professionals can adapt CBT, client-centered work, and EMDR techniques to different settings to focus on stress, anxiety, addiction recovery, trauma, and life changes.