Therapist profile
Carrie Gajowski, LMFT
California
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - Relationships and Anxiety
Continue with CarrieWhere Carrie stands
- Credentials
- LMFT
- License
- LMFT, California / 129824; LMFT, Arizona / LMFT-16414
- NPI
- 1629602768
- Experience
- 7 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- California
About
- Codependency support
- CBT and ACT
- Relationship patterns
About Carrie
Carrie Gajowski is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with seven years of clinical experience. She helps people who are worn down by stressful relationships, anxiety, and big life changes. She also works with concerns around sexuality, self-esteem, and issues common in LGBT communities.
Carrie often supports people who have experienced emotional or narcissistic abuse and who feel confused or stuck afterward. She talks through where patterns like people-pleasing and trouble saying no come from. Sessions focus on what a person wants to change and practical steps to get there.
Her approach is person-focused and draws on cognitive behavioral ideas along with acceptance and commitment work. That means clients look at patterns of thinking and behavior, notice what matters most to them, and practise small experiments between sessions. Carrie also uses psychodynamic and existential ideas to help people understand recurring relationship themes.
Therapy sessions are straightforward and oriented toward workable change. Carrie helps with communication problems, setting clearer boundaries, managing guilt and shame, and reducing social anxiety. She also supports people navigating non-monogamous relationships and midlife questions.
Sessions are conducted in English and take place with Carrie in California. She asks new clients to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session so they can begin outlining goals and next steps.
How sessions work
Approaches used in online sessions and practical fit
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting ruled by them, and then choose actions that align with their values. It can be helpful for anxiety, low self-worth, and making changes after relationship harm.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and testing them with practical behavioral experiments. It is useful for social anxiety, worry, and situations where small changes in behavior can ease distress.
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, listening-based stance where the therapist follows what matters most to the client and supports their own problem-solving. It can be a steady approach for people processing emotional abuse or grappling with identity and relationship questions.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Carrie will collaborate with each person to decide which methods to use based on their goals, comfort level, and what helps in early sessions. That conversation guides whether more values-based work, cognitive skills, or reflective exploration is emphasized.
Confirm the session formats offered before booking so you know how sessions are delivered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, keep shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Therapists can also adjust pacing and homework to fit a client's schedule and daily routines.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
California, Arizona
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can she help with people-pleasing?
Yes. Carrie works with clients on patterns like people-pleasing and trouble saying no, focusing on practical steps to set clearer boundaries.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is person-centered and practical, combining cognitive behavioral techniques with acceptance and commitment ideas and longer-term psychodynamic reflection.
How much experience does she have with relationship harm?
Carrie has seven years of clinical experience and lists emotional and narcissistic abuse, trauma, and relationship problems among her areas of focus.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensed in California and practices from that state.
Does she work in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
Confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats Carrie is offering at the time you schedule.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule your first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe at home, use the crisis and helpline numbers.