Peggy Lingard, LCSW

When Peggy Lingard relocated to California for the job she had long wanted, the move triggered a profound upheaval in her life - she lost much of her support network and felt disconnected from the strengths that once steadied her. Guided by an excellent therapist, she learned to invest in relationships and activities that brought joy, to speak less and to do more, and to reconnect with nature. She took up painting and continues to make art after 18 years, a practice that remains important to her sense of balance and meaning.

Peggy trained with leaders in the field and developed a broad clinical toolkit that includes Family Systems Theory, problem-solving approaches, divorce mediation, solution-focused and narrative therapies, dialectical behavior therapy, and practices that build resilience and mindfulness. She welcomes conversations about evidence-based methods and will share research and perspectives on what tends to be effective. At the same time she places the therapeutic relationship at the center of her work - believing that the partnership between therapist and client is the primary driver of change. She draws from techniques such as mindfulness or distress tolerance skills from dialectical behavior therapy while ensuring that therapy is guided collaboratively and that each person feels heard.

Peggy holds an LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - which denotes professional training in clinical social work and the ability to provide psychotherapy. She identifies as a lesbian, has three grown children, and is married to a wife who is African American. Peggy describes her life as a continuing journey of learning about diversity, respect, forgiveness, and curiosity in relationships. She values transparency and encourages exploration of strengths, fears, and the possibilities for letting go of what no longer serves a person. Peggy approaches each individual with fresh eyes and centers their own resources as the strongest ingredient for growth.