- Trauma and abuse
- ADHD and focus
- Chronic illness support
About Erik
Erik Tootell is a California Psychologist (CA Psychologist 21367) with 40 years of professional experience. He works with adults coping with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, and attention and focus difficulties. He speaks English and practices in California.
He helps people talk through difficult memories and the daily effects of anxiety and grief. Sessions focus on clear conversation about what feels hard now and practical ways to manage concentration and memory problems. He offers a steady, direct approach suited to adults who want straightforward help sorting their thoughts and feelings.
In clinical work he uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques to address symptoms and functioning. He pays attention to how past loss or abandonment shows up in current relationships and behavior. He also helps people manage long-term health, caregiving strain, and the emotional effects of chronic illness.
He has worked across a wide range of concerns including adoption and foster care issues, autism spectrum considerations, codependency, control and communication problems, and challenges tied to aging. He is familiar with disruptive mood regulation and personality-related difficulties that affect daily life.
To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session. Costs vary by location and services use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Prospective clients who want to confirm session options should check the online therapy options before booking.
How evidence-based techniques are used in online sessions
Erik draws on established, evidence-based techniques to address symptoms and daily functioning. For example, cognitive approaches focus on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and testing them with small behavioral experiments to reduce anxiety and rumination. These methods help with worry, low mood, and negative self-evaluations.He also uses practical strategies aimed at concentration and memory problems, such as task structuring, attention exercises, and compensatory routines. These tools are useful when focus or cognitive lapses make work and daily tasks harder. When trauma or grief are central, therapy includes careful processing of difficult memories alongside skills to manage strong reactions.
Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist and client review what is working and adjust techniques based on goals and preferences. Decisions about pace and emphasis are made together so the work fits the person's priorities.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten commute time, and allow for different check-in lengths when schedules are tight. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework to work between sessions and help integrate changes into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
40+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does he address?
He works with adults facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, and attention or focus difficulties. He also addresses related issues like abandonment, caregiver stress, and chronic illness effects.
How would he approach feelings of guilt or shame?
He uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques to talk about painful memories and the behavior that follows. The focus is on clear conversation and practical ways to reduce how much those feelings interfere with daily life.
What experience does he bring to this work?
He has 40 years of professional experience working with a broad range of emotional and cognitive concerns. That experience includes grief, trauma, concentration and memory challenges.
Where is he licensed and based?
He is a California Psychologist, credentialed as CA Psychologist 21367, and practices in California.
What languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the US work with him?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions scheduled and paid for?
Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time and costs vary with location. To schedule, complete the short matching questionnaire and pick a first session time.
What do I do to start therapy?
Select the See online therapy options button, fill out the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a first session when prompted.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.