Lani Stoner, LMFT

Lani Stoner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who brings a broad background in mental health to work with individuals, couples, families, and groups. She grew up in a family of educators and experienced frequent moves, including living overseas during childhood and early adolescence, which shaped her understanding of transitions and family dynamics. After completing undergraduate and graduate studies in Southern California, she established a career in public agency settings and later maintained a private practice where she worked with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Her clinical experience includes work with chronically mentally ill adults, military personnel and veterans, first responders, and people who identify as LGBTQQIP2SAA, and she has provided support for those facing chronic pain, medical concerns, trauma, and caregiving challenges.

Throughout periods of intensive professional work and times when family caregiving required her attention, she has remained committed to helping people regain hope and improve functioning and relationships. Her therapeutic approach tends to favor brief, focused modalities while remaining open to longer-term support when needed. She takes an active, directive stance in therapy and integrates structured trauma-informed methods such as CIS when working with clients affected by workplace or school-related traumatic events. Lani aims to collaborate with clients to set clear treatment goals and to support steps toward healthier relationships, improved coping, and better quality of life.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Lani Stoner integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness therapy into her online practice. Client-centered therapy focuses on creating an empathic, nonjudgmental space where the client leads the conversation and the therapist offers support to help the person discover personal strengths and solutions - this can be helpful for relationship issues, self-esteem, and life transitions. CBT is a practical, skills-based approach that helps clients identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors; it is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with chronic conditions. Mindfulness therapy teaches present-moment awareness and grounding skills to reduce emotional reactivity and support regulation, which can benefit those dealing with trauma responses, anxiety, or chronic stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the process, and Lani collaborates with each client to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors interventions and adjusts the plan over time so therapy remains practical and goal-oriented.

Online therapy with Lani is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options allow clients to access licensed professionals from their own communities, making consistent care more attainable while accommodating work, caregiving, and mobility considerations.