Deanna Bennet Ridgway , LCSW

Deanna Bennet Ridgway is a California-licensed LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) with seven years of professional experience supporting people through life’s challenges. She focuses on helping individuals manage stress and anxiety, navigate relationship difficulties, process trauma and abuse, and build motivation, self-esteem, and confidence.

Her work centers on creating an open, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be explored safely and honestly. She encourages clients to express what matters to them and partners with them to identify practical steps toward clearer thinking and greater emotional balance.

Deanna understands that beginning therapy can require courage, and she honors the choice to seek support. She aims to make the first sessions approachable and collaborative so that each person can move forward at a pace that feels right for them.

Evidence-Based Approaches for Online Support

Deanna uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques tailored to each person’s needs. Cognitive-behavioral strategies focus on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and practicing new ways of thinking and behaving, which can be helpful for stress, anxiety, and low mood. Trauma-informed approaches attend to the effects of past harm, offering pacing and stabilization techniques to help people feel more grounded as they process difficult memories and experiences. Skills-focused interventions teach practical tools for communication, emotion regulation, and problem solving to improve relationships and daily coping.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Deanna works collaboratively with each person to determine which techniques align with their goals, values, and comfort level, adjusting methods over time so the work feels effective and manageable.

Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility by allowing sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, continue care during transitions, and maintain momentum between sessions while working with licensed professionals and therapists who can tailor support to individual needs.