About Gail
Dr. Gail Masterson brings nearly three decades of clinical experience to her California practice.
Background and approach
She holds a PhD in Psychology, a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, and is licensed in California as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). She offers calm, straightforward help for people who feel stuck or overwhelmed.
Gail helps people talk through stress, anxiety, grief, and relationship struggles. She also supports those coping with life changes, career transitions, parenting strain, and compassion fatigue.
Her approach blends practical coaching with thoughtful questioning to help clients find workable steps forward. Sessions range from shorter, solution-focused conversations to longer, exploratory work.
She draws on client-centered methods to follow what matters most to each person. Cognitive behavioral techniques are used when practical steps and thought patterns need attention.
Gail also uses existential ideas to help people consider meaning, values, and life purpose. Mindfulness practices are offered to reduce reactivity and build calm in daily life.
Motivational interviewing helps when someone wants change but feels unsure how to begin. Her style is direct but warm.
She listens first, then helps clients test small changes. Many people appreciate a mix of coaching and therapy to solve immediate problems while exploring deeper concerns.
Gail aims to make the first step easier and the next step clearer.
Approaches that translate well to online work
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following what matters most to each person. In sessions the therapist reflects concerns, clarifies priorities, and helps clients discover their own solutions; this approach is helpful for stress, relationship worries, and self-esteem work.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It uses practical exercises and small behavioral experiments to reduce anxiety, manage depression, and change unhelpful patterns of thinking.
Existential therapy helps people examine meaning, values, and life purpose when facing transitions or uncertainty. It encourages honest questions about what matters and supports choices that align with personal values.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences, try methods that fit the situation, and adjust based on what helps most. Clients and therapist shape the path together rather than committing to one method from the start.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls work well for a fuller face-to-face conversation, phone sessions can fit a short break or low bandwidth needs, live chat allows quick check-ins, and text messaging supports brief updates or ongoing encouragement. These options make it easier to get consistent support around work, parenting, or a busy schedule.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
Also works with
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Parenting issues
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self esteem
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 28 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English