James Wagner

I'm James, a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with a focus on anxiety, gay men's mental health, and men's issues broadly. I work with people who are thoughtful, often self-aware, and still struggling — not because they aren't trying, but because something deeper hasn't been addressed yet. My clients don't need a therapist who hands them worksheets; they need someone who will actually sit with them in the hard stuff. That's what I do. I accept Aetna, Anthem, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, Carelon, and several other major plans — so cost is usually not a barrier. All sessions are via telehealth, which means you can see me from anywhere in California.

I work somatically and humanistically, which means we pay attention to both what you're thinking and how your body is holding it. Anxiety doesn't just live in your thoughts — it lives in your chest, your shoulders, the way you hold your breath before a hard conversation. I use Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and Motivational Interviewing alongside somatic work, which helps clients understand how their relationships and inner patterns connect, and find the motivation to actually change — not just understand why things are hard. I'm not interested in labeling or pathologizing. I'm interested in helping you feel like yourself again.

The first session is a real conversation, not an intake form read aloud. I'll ask you what's been going on, what you've already tried, and what you're actually hoping for from therapy. I want to understand you as a full person — not just the symptoms you're coming in with. By the end of our first session, you'll have a clear sense of how I work and whether it feels like the right fit. There's no pressure. If it doesn't feel right, I'll tell you honestly, and I can help point you toward someone who might be a better match. But most people leave the first session feeling like they've finally been heard.