Works with
- Anger
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
How Howard works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- California
- Years in practice
- 24
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Howard
Howard Acosta is a licensed clinical social worker with 24 years of experience based in California. He helps people navigate stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, low self-esteem, and anger. Howard focuses on practical steps people can use day to day.
He speaks English and works with clients across borders when schedules allow. Howard emphasizes straightforward care that fits each person's life. He pays attention to how identity, relationships, and past experiences shape current problems.
Background and approach
Sessions aim to identify small, concrete changes that reduce overwhelm and improve coping. He draws on evidence-based methods to guide those changes. People come to Howard for help with mood disorders, obsessive or compulsive patterns, and problems tied to substance use.
He also supports those facing parenting strains, adoption and foster care issues, aging concerns, and the stress of caregiving and end-of-life matters. Men's issues, veteran and armed forces issues, and challenges tied to gender dysphoria are also areas he addresses. Howard uses approaches that encourage immediate skills practice and goal-focused work.
He blends cognitive work, mindfulness, motivational techniques, and solution-focused conversations to help clients test what works. The work is collaborative and paced to each person’s needs. His California license is LCSW, which reflects his clinical background and long-term practice.
For people wanting online options, he offers multiple session formats to fit different routines. Getting started involves a short matching questionnaire and scheduling that fits both the client and his availability.
What Howard works with
Everything Howard lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Howard's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Co-morbidity
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Men's issues
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
Approaches Howard lists
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How Howard’s approaches work online
Howard commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect. CBT focuses on practical techniques to change unhelpful thinking and test new behaviors, useful for anxiety, depression, and anger. Mindfulness Therapy is another approach he uses; it teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve moment-to-moment awareness, which helps with stress and impulsivity.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Howard will talk with each person about goals and preferences, then recommend techniques to try. He adjusts pacing and methods based on what helps most, so the plan evolves as progress is made.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make care flexible. Video works well for fuller conversations and visual cues, while phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat or messaging can be used for brief check-ins, homework support, and ongoing motivation between sessions. These formats aim to fit therapy into busy schedules and different lifestyles.
Questions people ask about Howard
What kinds of concerns does Howard help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, addiction, anger, grief, low self-esteem, depression, and coping with life changes, plus related issues such as obsessions, mood disorders, and substance difficulties.
What is his therapeutic style like?
Sessions are practical and collaborative, focusing on small, doable changes. He combines cognitive techniques, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused work to help people move forward.
How much clinical experience does he have?
Howard has 24 years of experience as a practicing clinician, working across a range of mental health and life-transition concerns.
What credential and location apply to his practice?
He holds an LCSW credential and practices from California.
Are sessions available in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English, and he accepts international clients.
Which session formats does he provide?
Howard offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How are costs and subscription handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in getting started?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.