Daniel Smolen, LCSW

Licensed in California · 30 years in practice

Daniel Smolen is a licensed clinical social worker with 30 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship strains.

License and registration

LCSW, California: 20178 · expires October 2026
NPI: 1861761801 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 30
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Daniel

Daniel Smolen is a licensed clinical social worker with 30 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship strains. He works with concerns such as parenting and blended family difficulties, anger, and trauma-related issues. He also supports people facing self-esteem struggles, social anxiety, and LGBT-related concerns.

He takes a straightforward, respectful approach. Sessions focus on practical steps clients can use between meetings. He treats clients as the expert on their own life and builds on existing strengths.

Background and approach

The aim is steady progress rather than quick fixes. In the room he uses methods drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. That means looking at patterns of thinking and behavior, and practicing simple attention and breathing skills.

Those tools are used to manage strong emotions, reduce worry, and improve daily functioning. Daniel has worked across many settings during his career and brings that breadth to one-on-one work. He often helps with caregiver stress, communication problems, and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

He also supports people dealing with self-harm urges and disruptive mood regulation concerns like DMDD. Sessions are offered in English and are delivered online by video, phone, chat, or text messaging. Getting started begins by choosing the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a time that fits your needs.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Daniel lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Parenting issues
Anger management
LGBT
Trauma and abuse
Self esteem
Depression
Blended family issues
Caregiver issues and stress
Communication problems
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
Post-traumatic stress
Self-harm
Self-love
Social anxiety and phobia
Young adult issues

Approaches Daniel names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

Online approaches that focus on thinking and attention

Daniel uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify unhelpful thoughts and habits and replace them with more effective patterns. CBT is practical and problem-focused, and it is often used for anxiety, depression, and relationship or parenting challenges.

He also uses mindfulness therapy to teach simple attention and breathing exercises that reduce reactivity and build emotional tolerance. Mindfulness work supports people who want better control over stress, anger, and overwhelming feelings.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with clients about their goals, preferences, and day-to-day challenges, then try techniques that fit those needs. Sessions are collaborative and adjusted based on what helps most.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video works well for deeper conversations, phone can be a good option when bandwidth is limited, and chat or text is useful for brief check-ins and when writing out thoughts feels easier. These choices help therapy fit into busy schedules and different lifestyles.

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Questions people ask

What concerns does this therapist help with?

Common areas include stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, parenting and blended family issues, anger, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, and LGBT-related concerns.

How would you describe the therapeutic style?

Work is practical and respectful, focusing on steps clients can use between sessions and building on their existing strengths.

What is the clinician's background?

The clinician has 30 years of professional experience working across multiple settings and has supported people with caregiver stress, communication problems, DMDD, self-harm, and post-traumatic stress.

Where is this therapist licensed and based?

He is licensed as an LCSW in California.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with this therapist?

International clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are available?

Sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.

How do I get started with therapy?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Is this your profile?

Ask us to correct details or take the page down.