Chad Dispenza, M.A., M.S., AMFT
Therapist
Online Therapy in California for
Teens, Adults, Couples, & Families
Looking for online therapy in California?
You’re in the right place!
Hi, I’m Chad Dispenza, a therapist dedicated to helping folks identify and explore unseen paths toward wellbeing.
Learn more about me here.
Here’s how we can work together:
Online Therapy Services
I offer telehealth / virtual sessions for:
🏫 Teens | 🗣 Adults
❤️🩹 Couples | 🏡 Families
For details on costs, availability, and offerings, visit my Therapy Services page.
Cultivating Digital Wellness
📲 As a therapist, I offer specialized Digital Wellness Therapy Groups for teens, parents, and families.
For more details, visit my Group Therapy page.
🌐 As the Director of the California Center for Digital Wellbeing, I also provide consultations—distinct and separate from therapy—for individuals, families, educators, and therapists worldwide.
For more details, visit my Digital Wellbeing page.
Prefer to contact me directly?
Email me: therapywithchad@gmail.com
Chad Dispenza, M.A., M.S., AMFT
Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist #130919
Supervised by Israel “Rulik” Perla, Ph.D., LMFT #43965
Practicing under the auspices of the Center for Psychotherapy, Spirituality & Creativity (CPSC), a 501(c) nonprofit organization offering quality counseling and therapy services throughout California.
My Approach
🧬 Collaborative
Anchored in warmth, humor, respect, creativity, and radical curiosity, I value working collaboratively to develop a shared understanding of what brings you to therapy (and what you hope therapy brings to you).
I believe you are the expert in your own life. Together, leveraging your expertise and my skills, we can seek pathways to provide you with meaningful insights, foster positive change, and enhance your wellbeing.
💡 Narrative and Solution-Focused
My practice is grounded in Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Relational Gestalt principles. I continue to engage in ongoing supervision, training, and peer consultation rooted in these therapeutic approaches.
With this foundation in mind, I take very seriously there is no “one size fits all” approach to therapy. I routinely draw from various modalities, techniques, and schools of thought to best address the unique challenges each of my clients seek help addressing.
For more on my background, education, and credentials, visit my About Me page.
Photo courtesy of Irina Blok.
What Colleagues Are Saying…
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To safeguard client privacy and uphold the highest ethical standards, I do not solicit testimonials from therapy clients.
Instead, I feature endorsements from professional colleagues who know me well and can speak to my clinical competency, therapeutic approach, and advanced knowledge in digital wellbeing.
Chris Hoff, Ph.D., LMFT
Executive Director /
Clinical Director
California Family Institute
On therapy:
“Chad is a wonderfully collaborative therapist skilled in narrative therapy. He can help individuals, couples and families reshape their stories in a way that empowers them to overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities.
What sets Chad apart is his passion for the creative process. He excels in guiding those who seek a more creative life, helping them unlock their potential and navigate the journey toward greater self-expression and fulfillment. His supportive and inspiring presence makes a profound impact on everyone he works with.”
On digital wellbeing:
“Chad’s approach to digital wellbeing is both innovative and essential in our increasingly connected world. He provides clients with the tools and insights needed to maintain a healthy relationship with technology, fostering balance and mindfulness in their daily lives.”
Brian Wainwright, LMFT
On therapy:
“Chad's commitment to prioritizing the know-how, skill, and values of others demonstrates his understanding of the importance of elevating the experiences others bring to the therapeutic conversation. In a world where everyone else is the expert of your life, Chad’s focus on Narrative ideas is a refreshing reminder that there are practitioners out there who still prioritize their clients' experience over their own.
On digital wellbeing:
“After spending any amount of time with him, one learns quickly how deep Chad's knowledge is for the traps and pitfalls of our modern technologically driven society.
Chad's professional history has taken him on such a wild ride it is hard not to deeply appreciate the radical "Counter-culture" position he's taken on the relational use of social media technologies. His knowledge on the subject results from his commitment to being first-on-the-scene as new research makes its way to the public, as well as his insider experience as a professional in the industry.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about costs, cancellation policies, insurance, and more?
Visit my FAQs page for answers to these common inquiries and additional information.
Benefits Checker
I have partnered with Mentaya to help clients use their out-of-network benefits to save money on therapy. Use this tool below to see if you qualify for reimbursement for my services.
Get in Touch!
Schedule a free consultation with me to discuss our potential fit.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
— Robert Frost