About Ida
Ida Whitaker is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who uses practical, hands-on methods to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and ADHD-related challenges. She combines short-term tools with deeper work so people can make changes that stick. Ida writes and speaks plainly and aims to make therapy feel doable for busy lives.
She draws on cognitive behavioral approaches to help people notice patterns of thinking and behavior that cause pain.
Background and approach
Emotionally-Focused Therapy ideas guide work on connection and communication in close relationships. Ida also uses trauma-focused tools, including EMDR concepts, when past events keep showing up in day-to-day life. Her background includes an MA in Psychology with a Marriage and Family Therapy emphasis and eight years working in outpatient settings.
Ida has worked with individuals in office and online, and she has led group therapy related to addiction, trauma, and relationship problems. She holds LMFT licenses in both Montana and California. In sessions, Ida favors clear goals and simple steps.
She blends brief, skills-based exercises with space to process strong emotions. That can look like learning a new coping skill one week and using deeper trauma work in another. Clients can expect a collaborative tone.
Ida aims to reduce shame and blame while helping people set realistic next steps. She supports people dealing with grief, addiction concerns, parenting strain, intimacy issues, and career stress.
Approaches for online work and what they do
Ida commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors; this approach often helps with anxiety, depression, and ADHD-related habits. She also draws on Emotionally-Focused Therapy principles to improve emotional connection and communication in relationships, which can be useful for intimacy and relationship concerns. When past trauma affects day-to-day functioning, she may use trauma-focused tools and EMDR-informed strategies to reduce distress linked to those memories.Finding the right approach is part of the process and happens collaboratively. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences, try practical exercises, and adjust the plan based on how a person responds. Clients and the therapist work together to choose which methods feel most useful for the issues at hand.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which makes it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be a lower-bandwidth option or a quick way to check in. Live chat and text messaging let people send brief updates or get support between longer sessions. These options offer flexibility for different needs and schedules.
Questions people ask
What kinds of concerns does Ida help with?
What is her therapeutic style?
How much clinical experience does she have?
What credentials and region are listed?
Which languages are available for sessions?
What session formats does she offer?
How is cost handled?
How do I begin working with her?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Career difficulties
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Midlife crisis
- Multicultural concerns
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Stress, Anxiety
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 8 years
- Licensed
- California, Montana
- Languages
- English
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you.