- Attachment-based work
- CBT techniques
- Grief and loss focus
About Holly
Holly Starr is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with 25 years of clinical experience. She works with adults on stress, anxiety, relationship concerns, grief, self-esteem, depression, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, and coping with life changes. Holly also lists family of origin issues among her focus areas.
She trained with a BA in English Literature and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Early in her career she worked on a suicide prevention hotline and later as a grief therapist and supervisor. Those roles shaped her ongoing interest in depression, loss, and bereavement and in how shame and low self-esteem affect daily life.
Holly’s approach balances listening with active observation. She encourages people to notice feelings and to describe them, however unclear or painful. When patterns emerge, she often looks at how thoughts influence choices and behaviors. That can lead to small, manageable changes that alter how someone feels day to day.
Her work draws on attachment-based ideas, psychodynamic and Jungian perspectives, cognitive behavioral techniques, and solution-focused methods. She adapts these to the concerns someone brings rather than imposing a fixed plan. Sessions may include reflective conversation, examining past family roles, and practical steps for changing habits.
Holly has practiced in residential settings and private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works with adults across a wide range of life stages, including young adults and older adults, and attends to aging and caregiver-related concerns. For prospective clients she recommends starting with a short questionnaire and a first session to clarify goals.
How therapeutic approaches come into play online
Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationship patterns shape current bonds. It helps people understand closeness, boundaries, and reactivity in their adult relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. It offers practical steps for changing unhelpful thinking and testing new behaviors. Psychodynamic and Jungian ideas pay attention to repeated life patterns and unconscious themes that influence moods and relationship choices. Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist and client will review concerns, goals, and preferences and then try methods that fit. That collaborative process means approaches can shift as people learn more about what helps. Confirm the session formats before booking since the biography does not list specific online formats. In general, online work can make it easier to fit therapy into daily life - it can reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins on busy days, or make sessions possible when scheduling around caregiving or work is necessary. Ask about the practical options offered so sessions match your routine and goals.Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
Which concerns does she address?
Her areas include stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, self-esteem, depression, trauma and abuse, intimacy concerns, and coping with life changes.
What is her therapy style like?
She listens closely and observes patterns, then helps clients name feelings and notice how thoughts affect choices and behavior.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 25 years of experience working in residential settings and private practice, plus earlier work on a suicide prevention hotline and as a grief therapist and supervisor.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is a California LMFT and practices in California.
Does she work in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions arranged and what is the cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin?
Click the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.