6 Los Angeles Cognitive Behavioral (CBT) Therapists [No Waitlist]
Feeling stuck in unhelpful thought patterns? Struggling with anxiety, depression, or behaviors you can’t seem to change? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to stay trapped in these cycles. At Yellow Chair Collective, our team of CBT specialists helps clients throughout Los Angeles break free from negative patterns and build practical skills for lasting change. Below, we’ve highlighted seven of our talented CBT therapists so you can find the right match for your unique needs.
Jump to a therapist
- Jack Lam, LCSW: Good fit for LGBTQ+
- Kony Das, MSW: Good fit for teens
- Dalena Thai, MS: Good fit for addiction recovery
- David Yim, DSW, LCSW: Good fit for professionals & burnout
- Prakrti “Prana” Seth, MA: Good fit for parents
- Jennifer Gold, PhD, LMFT: Good fit for anxiety
If you’re unsure which CBT therapist is right for you, contact us so we can match you.
Meet our Los Angeles cognitive behavioral specialists
Jack Lam, LCSW
Good fit for LGBTQ+
Jack stands out among other local CBT therapists as an openly genderqueer, non-binary therapist specializing in CBT for LGBTQ+ clients. They bring both lived experience and clinical expertise to help queer individuals challenge the shame-based thinking and anxiety that often stems from navigating a cis-heteronormative world.
As a Chinese Malaysian immigrant fluent in English, Mandarin, and Malay, Jack also offers rare cultural and linguistic competency for LGBTQ+ Asian Americans seeking a therapist who truly understands the intersection of queerness and multicultural identity.
- Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker #127527
- Focus areas: LGBTQ+, Teens, Anxiety & Stress Management, Grief & Loss, Trauma & PTSD
Kony Das, MSW
Good fit for teens
Kony brings a rare academic foundation in neuroscience and psychobiology to her work with teens, helping adolescents understand the “why” behind their stress responses and building genuine self-awareness rather than just generic coping tools. She uses a blend of CBT and coaching skills to help teens challenge the limiting beliefs and cycles of avoidance, shame, and burnout that so often go unaddressed in traditional therapy.
Her neurodivergent-affirming lens makes her especially effective with ADHD and autistic teens who’ve struggled to find a therapist who truly gets how their brain works. Plus, her warmth, humor, and judgment-free style create a space where teens can actually show up as themselves, making her a standout choice for families looking for a clinician who connects with adolescents as well as challenges them.
- Credentials: Associate Clinical Social Worker #124991
- Focus areas: Teens, Families, Anxiety & Stress Management, Neurodivergent Affirmative Care, Body Image & Disordered Eating, Trauma & PTSD
Dalena Thai, MS
Good fit for addiction recovery
Dalena brings rare real-world addiction experience to her CBT practice, having worked directly in residential treatment care and intensive outpatient addiction programs. This gives her a depth of clinical understanding that sets her apart from therapists who address addiction as a secondary concern.
Her integrative approach combines CBT with DBT, psychodynamic therapy, and IFS to address not just the addictive patterns but the underlying shame, trauma, and identity questions that fuel them.
As a child of Vietnamese immigrants who understands the stigma and impact of mental health struggles firsthand, Dalena also offers a uniquely compassionate, culturally informed space for AAPI and BIPOC clients ready to reclaim their lives from addiction without judgment.
- Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #153782
- Focus areas: Addiction & Mental Health, Anxiety & Stress Management, Depression, LGTBQ+
David Yim, DSW, LCSW
Good fit for professionals & burnout
Dr. David Yim brings something genuinely rare to burnout treatment: a doctorate from USC, 20+ years of clinical and leadership experience, and a deeply personal understanding of the cultural pressures that drive Asian American men to push past their limits without asking for help.
His approach helps clients untangle the stress, depression, and identity struggles that accumulate quietly over years of meeting everyone else’s expectations. For clients who’ve been skeptical about therapy or aren’t sure where to start, David’s down-to-earth, collaborative style creates a space where showing up is enough—and real, grounded progress follows.
- Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker #70990
- Focus areas: Burnout, Identity, Anxiety & Stress Management, Family Relationships, Relationship Issues
Prakrti “Prana” Seth, MA
Good fit for parents
Prana offers something rare in the CBT therapy landscape: a decade of Fortune 500 leadership experience combined with advanced clinical training, giving her unparalleled insight into how parents lose themselves while managing the competing demands of work, family, and partnership.
What makes her exceptional is her specialized expertise in using trauma-informed CBT to help parents identify and challenge the automatic thoughts and “should” narratives that fuel parental guilt, burnout, and resentment. Prana also brings lived experience as a South Asian American person, offering an invaluable perspective to parents navigating interracial family dynamics and cultural expectations.
- Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #141015
- Focus areas: Parents, Asian & South Asian American Experience, Couples, Anxiety & Burnout, Depression
Jennifer Gold, PhD, LMFT
Good fit for anxiety
Dr. Gold brings a unique combination of doctoral training and diverse clinical modalities to her anxiety treatment, integrating cognitive restructuring with DBT skills, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and interpersonal neurobiology to address anxiety from multiple angles.
What distinguishes her approach is her focus on both the cognitive patterns and the physiological components of anxiety, helping clients understand the mind-body connection that keeps them stuck in cycles of worry and fear. Her calm, centered therapeutic presence and experience working with high-functioning adults make her a strong choice for clients seeking comprehensive anxiety treatment that goes beyond surface-level coping strategies.
- Credentials: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #124091
- Focus areas: Anxiety & Stress Management, Creatives & Highly Sensitive People, Disordered Eating, EMDR, Pregnancy & Postpartum, Trauma & PTSD
What sets our practice apart from other Los Angeles CBT therapy providers
At Yellow Chair Collective, we bring a unique perspective to LA’s therapy landscape. Here’s why our clients choose us.
- Culturally responsive and trauma-informed: We integrate CBT with a deep understanding of Asian American, immigrant, and multicultural experiences.
- Holistic and personalized: Our therapists combine CBT with complementary modalities like EMDR, DBT, mindfulness, and somatic work tailored to your needs.
- Community-oriented: Beyond individual therapy, we offer free virtual and in-person programs throughout LA.
- Accessible and diverse: Our team speaks several different languages and offers both online and limited in-person options.
- Insurance-friendly: We accept Aetna, Cigna, United/Optum, and Anthem, plus provide superbills for out-of-network coverage.
Whether you’re seeking CBT for anxiety, parenting support, or other life challenges, our therapists bring warmth, expertise, and a genuine commitment to helping you create lasting change.
FAQs about cognitive behavioral therapy
Who is cognitive behavioral therapy best for?
Research shows that CBT is highly effective in treating anxiety, depression, ADHD, eating disorders, and other issues. It tends to be a good fit for people who want practical, skill-based approaches and are open to actively participating in their treatment through homework exercises between sessions.
How long does CBT therapy take?
Traditional CBT is typically a short- to medium-term treatment, often showing results within 12-20 sessions. However, the timeline varies based on the complexity of your concerns, your goals, and how consistently you practice the skills between sessions. Some clients see improvement in just a few weeks, while others benefit from longer-term work.
What happens in a CBT therapy session?
In a CBT session, you and your therapist work collaboratively to identify unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, then develop strategies to change them. Sessions typically include discussing current challenges, examining the connection between thoughts, feelings, and actions, practicing new skills, and setting homework to reinforce learning between appointments.
Who is not a good candidate for CBT?
CBT may be less effective for individuals experiencing severe mental health crises requiring immediate stabilization, those with certain cognitive impairments that make thought examination difficult, or people who prefer a less structured, more exploratory therapeutic approach. That said, CBT can often be adapted or combined with other modalities to meet diverse needs.
Does insurance pay for cognitive behavioral therapy?
Yes, most insurance plans cover CBT when provided by licensed mental health professionals. Yellow Chair Collective accepts Aetna, Cigna, United/Optum, and Anthem, and we can provide superbills for PPO plans seeking out-of-network reimbursement. We recommend checking your specific benefits for session limits and copay amounts.