Therapist profile
Francis Joseph Gallego, LCSW
California
LCSW - relationships and codependency
Continue with FrancisWhere Francis stands
- Credentials
- LCSW
- License
- LCSW, California / 61341
- NPI
- 1801055264
- Experience
- 22 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- California
About
- Attachment based
- CBT strategies
- DBT skills
About Francis
Francis Joseph Gallego is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California with 22 years of professional experience. He works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy concerns, addiction, grief, and issues related to LGBT identity and family conflict. He also lists codependency among his focus areas.
He practices in a straightforward, talk-based way that centers the person's goals and concerns. Sessions look at how attachment and past relationships shape current patterns. He uses techniques drawn from cognitive behavioral work and dialectical approaches to help manage strong emotions and repetitive behaviors.
His background includes practice in New York, Hawaii, and California across clinical settings. That breadth informs how he considers cultural, societal, and intergenerational influences on a person's life and relationships. He notes work with people affected by chronic illness and communities of color.
In sessions he listens for patterns such as people-pleasing, difficulty saying no, and getting lost in relationships. He helps clients notice those patterns, try different responses, and practice concrete skills for setting boundaries and handling distressing feelings. He can also address parenting stresses, caregiver strain, and career-related concerns.
He combines attachment-focused thinking with client-centered conversation and practical cognitive techniques. Jungian ideas may be used to reflect on symbols and life meaning when that fits. Overall, his approach aims to help people gain clearer choices and more control over how they respond to others.
How sessions work
How attachment, CBT and DBT translate to online work
Attachment-based work looks at how early relationship patterns shape current reactions. Online sessions can be used to track those patterns in everyday situations and try different ways of relating. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and practicing new behaviors. It often includes short exercises and skill practice between sessions to test changes. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers concrete tools for managing intense emotions and improving distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and adjust methods as needed. Together they decide whether attachment exploration, CBT skill-building, DBT techniques, or a combination fits best for the problem at hand.
The biography does not specify which session formats are provided, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also lets people practice boundary-setting and communication skills in the context of their real schedule. Licensed professionals can use these online sessions to assign exercises, track progress, and help clients apply new coping strategies to everyday life.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
22+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does he address?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, addiction, grief, LGBT-related concerns, and codependency.
How would he describe his therapeutic style?
He uses a mix of attachment-based listening, client-centered conversation, CBT techniques and DBT skills to help people understand patterns and practice new responses.
How much experience does he have?
He has 22 years of professional experience, including practice in New York, Hawaii, and California.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a California LCSW credential and works from California.
Can I work with him if I live outside the US?
Sessions are offered to international clients as noted in his profile; sessions are conducted in English.
What session formats does he offer?
The biography does not list specific session formats; confirm current online or in-person options before booking.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and 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.