Peggy Lingard, LCSW
Thoughtful narrative therapy with practical steps
Details
| Name | Peggy Lingard |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LCSW |
| Based in | California |
| Licensed in | California |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 40 |
About Peggy
Peggy Lingard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 40 years of experience. She came to California after a big life change and learned how rebuilding connection and creative habits help steady a life. She now uses that experience to help people find practical ways forward during hard transitions.
Peggy listens first and asks about the stories people tell about themselves. She often invites action alongside conversation - small experiments, reconnecting with sources of joy, or practical steps to manage stress.
Background and approach
She prefers clear language and concrete tools over jargon. Her work draws on Narrative approaches that look at how life stories shape behavior and feeling. She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Client-Centered methods to help people align with values and build on strengths.
Cognitive Behavioral techniques and Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are available when they fit a person's goals. Peggy has supported people through grief, anxiety, depression, addictions, career shifts, relationship and intimacy concerns, and complicated mood and personality issues. She pays attention to multicultural context and issues such as HIV/AIDS, blended family stress, caregiver strain, and forgiveness work.
She names the relationship between therapist and client as the most important part of change. Peggy aims to be a collaborative partner who hears what matters and helps plan workable steps. Her style is straightforward, warm, and action-oriented.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Self esteem among the things Peggy works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Compassion fatigue
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Infidelity
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Peggy among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Peggy among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Peggy among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Peggy among the ways she works.
- Gottman Method: Listed by Peggy among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Peggy among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Peggy among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Peggy directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Peggy directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How Peggy’s approaches translate to online work
Peggy uses Narrative Therapy to look at the stories people tell about their lives and to separate problems from the person. This approach can help when people feel stuck in unhelpful patterns or want to rewrite how they see themselves.She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on clarifying values and taking committed actions even when feelings are difficult. That work is useful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions where people want clearer direction.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Peggy will talk with each person about goals and preferences, then try methods that fit those aims. She treats therapy as a partnership and adjusts methods based on what helps most in practice.
Online formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives. Video calls are useful for face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging let people send brief updates, try exercises between meetings, or keep momentum during a busy week. These options give flexibility while keeping the focus on practical change and steady progress.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does Peggy commonly help with?
She helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, and career or life transitions. Additional focus areas include caregiver stress, blended family issues, and multicultural concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Peggy listens closely and combines conversation with action. She uses simple exercises, values work, and practical skills to help people test changes outside sessions.
How long has she practiced therapy?
She brings four decades of clinical experience to her work, drawing on many approaches and long-term practice with diverse concerns.
What credentials and region are listed for this therapist?
Peggy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in California.
Which languages are supported and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
Sessions may be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Peggy are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Peggy where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
Explore online therapy options »
Or see other therapists in California »
This is a partner link. We will earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.
Other listings in California
- Moushumi Ghose, LMFT - California
- Yanina Lambert, LMFT - California
- Stacey Sugar, MD, LCPC, LPCC - California
- Lisa Wyatt, LMFT - California
- All therapists for stress, anxiety »