IFSTherapists

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LCSW

Destiny Howell, LCSW

  • Experience10 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Family, and Depression
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Destiny

Destiny Howell is a California licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 10 years of experience providing therapy for a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns.

Background and approach

She emphasizes Internal Family Systems as a central framework, pairing it with evidence-based methods to address anxiety, depression, trauma recovery, and relationship challenges. Her work helps clients explore internal parts, build self-compassion, and develop practical coping strategies for stress, substance-related patterns, and mood fluctuations.

Howell blends acceptance-oriented and cognitive approaches to support clients navigating life transitions, grief, and identity questions. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful patterns and create actionable steps aligned with personal values.

Her clinical focus also includes intimacy and communication struggles, burnout and compassion fatigue, eating and sleeping difficulties, and concerns such as obsessional thoughts or panic. Sessions aim to foster greater self-understanding and sustainable change through tailored plans that reflect each person’s needs and goals.

Destiny works with clients via multiple online formats and combines clinical skill with an empathic, client-centered stance to promote growth, improved coping, and clearer life direction.

Online therapy grounded in parts work and values-based tools

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a gentle, parts-oriented model that helps clients identify and relate to different internal voices or aspects of self, which can be useful for trauma recovery, self-criticism, and complex emotional patterns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them while clarifying personal values to guide meaningful action, which is helpful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relational patterns influence present-day connections and communication, supporting work around intimacy, abandonment, and caregiver stress.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the collaborative process. The therapist will work together with clients to determine which methods fit their goals, preferences, and presenting concerns, blending IFS, acceptance-based practices, and cognitive techniques as needed to meet individual needs.

Online sessions are offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These remote formats can make consistent care more accessible and allow clients to engage in therapy from familiar surroundings while still receiving structured, professional support.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of issues does she help with?
She works with concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy-related issues, grief, stress, addictions, and a range of mood and impulse-related conditions.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is collaborative and integrative, combining Internal Family Systems with acceptance and cognitive strategies to explore internal parts and create value-driven action plans.
How long has she been practicing clinically?
She brings a decade of clinical experience to her work, applying that background to diverse challenges such as burnout, parenting stress, and coping with life changes.
Where is she licensed to practice?
She is a licensed clinical social worker in California, credential CA LCSW 129679, and practices with that licensure.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
She is not currently accepting international clients and offers services to clients located within the scope of her California licensure.
What session formats does she offer online?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences and schedules.
How are sessions paid for and what does cost look like?
Session cost varies with location and therapist availability and is provided through a subscription model that may be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsDepressionCoping with life changesCompassion fatigue

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoachingADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodImago Relationship TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

10+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English