Lani Stoner , LMFT

Lani Bain Stoner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who brings decades of experience working with individuals, couples, families and groups. She trained at Chapman University, earning a MA in Counseling Psychology, and completed additional coursework toward a Certificate in Gerontology at Sacramento State University. Her career in public and private mental health settings has included county and agency work, outpatient private practice, and volunteer online services for military and veteran populations. She has substantial experience working with chronically mentally ill adults, and with people facing trauma, abuse, caregiving demands, chronic pain or illness, and complex family and relationship challenges.

Lani grew up in a family of educators and lived overseas during part of her childhood and early adolescence, later completing high school in Virginia and college studies across Pennsylvania, Washington DC and Southern California. She and her husband raised two children in California, and in 2019 they relocated to a smaller foothill community where their adult children reside. Family caregiving responsibilities have occasionally led her to reduce full-time work, but she has continuously remained committed to supporting others through difficult life transitions.

Her therapeutic stance tends to be active and directive, often using brief, focused approaches while remaining open to longer-term work when needed. Lani is trained in structured interventions for trauma, including CIS, and offers affirmative care for people with diverse identities, including those who identify as LGBTQQIP2SAA. She is focused on helping people move toward hope, improved functioning and healthier relationships.

Approaches Used in Online Therapy with Lani Stoner

Lani Stoner draws from client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness therapy to guide online work. Client-centered therapy emphasizes a supportive, empathetic therapeutic relationship and helps people explore their values and goals while addressing relationship, parenting and self-esteem concerns. CBT is a practical, skills-based approach that helps identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns often linked to anxiety, depression, stress and coping with life changes. Mindfulness therapy cultivates present-moment awareness and stress-management skills that can support emotional regulation and handling grief, chronic illness or trauma symptoms.

Lani approaches treatment collaboratively, working with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals and preferences. She adapts techniques over time so therapy remains focused and relevant to the issues a person brings.

Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility by allowing work to take place through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit counseling into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life transitions, and choose the communication style that feels most comfortable for the individual.