About Jamie
Jamie Lavender is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in California with 21 years of clinical experience. He uses a somatic-informed, client-centered approach to help people feel more grounded and speak honestly about what matters to them. He aims to create a calm space where emotions and body sensations are noticed together, so clients can make changes that fit their lives.
He often works with people who are struggling with addictions, compulsive behaviors, and substance use.
Background and approach
He approaches these issues from a harm reduction perspective, helping people reduce harms whether they aim for moderation, abstinence, or another path. Jamie also supports those coping with grief, depression, anxiety, stress, and compassion fatigue. Relationship and intimacy concerns are a common focus, including communication problems, commitment worries, blended family issues, and fatherhood challenges.
He also helps clients with body image, eating and sleeping issues, and the emotional fallout of family of origin problems. Sexuality topics such as BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture are also part of his practice when they are relevant to a client’s wellbeing. Jamie blends attachment-based ideas, cognitive behavioral strategies, and skills from dialectical behavior therapy alongside somatic awareness.
Sessions are paced to match each person’s needs and goals. He works collaboratively to build practical steps people can use between sessions. He provides services in English and offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.
His California license is LMFT CA 48973, and therapy is delivered via a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How somatic and skills-based approaches work online
Somatic-informed work pays attention to how emotions show up in the body. Online sessions can include noticing breathing, posture, and physical sensations while talking through what is happening. This can help with anxiety, trauma aftereffects, and grounding in moments of distress.Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in close relationships and how early bonds shape current reactions. In sessions this means identifying trust and safety needs and practicing new ways to connect and communicate. It is often useful for intimacy issues, commitment concerns, and family of origin wounds.
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a nonjudgmental space where the person sets the pace. The therapist follows the client’s lead, listens deeply, and helps reflect what’s showing up. This approach works well alongside skills like CBT or DBT when people want concrete tools as well as support.
Finding the right mix is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, then adjust methods over time. Clients and therapist decide together which approaches to emphasize based on needs and progress.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options let people fit sessions into busy schedules and continue work between meetings. Many clients find remote formats make consistent progress more practical while keeping the focus on real-life changes.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also works with
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Intimacy-related issues
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Parenting issues
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexuality
- Sleeping disorders
- Stress, Anxiety
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Gottman Method
- Imago Relationship Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
- Experience
- 21 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English