Janel Guinane , LCSW

Janel Guinane brings decades of hands-on experience in behavioral health, beginning in 1997 when she worked at a residential program in San Francisco supporting adults with substance use challenges and co-occurring mental health disorders. She pursued formal training while continuing to serve diverse communities, earning a Bachelor of Social Work in 2008 and a Master of Social Work in 2010. Over the years she has worked with a wide range of populations, including children, teens, transition-age youth, former foster youth, homeless youth, adults with serious mental illness, and people arrested for alcohol or drug-related offenses.

Today she serves as a Program Manager for a clinic that assesses individuals for county mental health treatment services and oversees a homeless day respite center that helps connect unhoused people with housing, food, and healthcare. Her clinical orientation is Client-Centered, Strengths-Based, and Humanistic, and she uses Motivational Interviewing to explore each person’s perspective and goals. Janel views people as experts in their own lives and approaches therapy as a collaborative process, acting as a guide and partner rather than an advice-giver.

She has experience addressing depression, anxiety, trauma, eating disorders, PTSD, schizophrenia, and other conditions, and focuses on helping clients gain clarity, build on strengths, and move toward goals with authenticity and practical support. She holds the LCSW credential - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - which designates her training and qualification to provide clinical social work services.

Online Therapeutic Approaches for Collaborative Care

Janel Guinane draws on client-centered therapy to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the client’s values and goals lead the work. This approach focuses on listening, empathy, and building on a person’s strengths to address issues like self-esteem, relationship challenges, and life transitions.

She also uses Motivational Interviewing to help people clarify their own reasons for change and to strengthen motivation. This method is practical for goals related to addiction, behavior change, and ambivalence about treatment because it emphasizes collaboration and personal agency.

For people affected by trauma, EMDR can be offered as a targeted method to process distressing memories and reduce their emotional impact. EMDR is often used alongside other therapies to support recovery from PTSD, severe stress, and related symptoms.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and she works collaboratively with each person to tailor methods to their needs, goals, and preferences. Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to schedule care around work, family, and other commitments and to access therapists when in-person visits are difficult.