Penny Gifford, LPC, LCPC

Licensed in Colorado · 30 years in practice

Penny Gifford is a licensed professional counselor with 30 years of experience.

License and registration

LPC, Colorado: 5992 · expires August 2027
LCPC, Montana: BBH-LCPC-LIC-4727 · expires December 2026
LPCC, California: 17861 · expires October 2026
NPI: 1962608174 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 30
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Penny

Penny Gifford is a licensed professional counselor with 30 years of experience. She works with adults in individual sessions to help them build new skills and make meaningful changes in their lives. Penny practices in California as an LPC and LCPC and keeps her approach straightforward and practical.

Penny focuses on common struggles such as anxiety, depression, stress, addictions, and problems with sleep and eating. She also helps people facing relationship strain, grief, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and significant life changes.

Background and approach

Her background includes work with a wide range of personality and attachment issues as well as caregiver stress and codependency. Sessions with Penny aim to be collaborative and non-judgmental. She creates a calm space where people can talk through difficult feelings and try out new coping tools.

The work is rooted in respecting each person’s experience and setting clear, achievable goals. Her methods draw from client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior strategies, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused work. That mix lets her tailor sessions to the immediate problem and long-term patterns that sustain it.

Penny uses direct, practical interventions alongside supportive listening. She helps clients learn skills for emotion regulation, communication, and relapse prevention. The focus is on usable tools people can apply between sessions to feel steadier and more in control.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Penny lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Addictions
Self esteem
Depression
Coping with life changes
LGBT
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Trauma and abuse
Grief
Eating disorders
Sleeping disorders
Anger management
Career difficulties
Bipolar disorder
ADHD
Abandonment
Antisocial personality
Attachment issues
Avoidant personality
Body image
Caregiver issues and stress
Co-morbidity
Codependency
Communication problems
Control issues
Dependent personality
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
Divorce and separation
Domestic violence
Drug and alcohol addiction
Eating and food-related issues
Emptiness
Family of origin issues
Family problems
Guilt and shame
Impulsivity
Jealousy
Life purpose
Midlife crisis
Mood disorders
Narcissism
Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
Personality disorders
Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self-love
Social anxiety and phobia
Trichotillomania
Women's issues
Workplace issues
Young adult issues

Approaches Penny names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How therapeutic approaches shape online care

Penny uses cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy in ways that translate well to online sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and changing behaviors through practical exercises and home practice. It can help with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and addictive patterns. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) teaches skills for managing intense emotions, improving distress tolerance, and strengthening relationships, which is useful for mood instability and anger management.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Penny will discuss goals and preferences during early sessions and adapt methods as needed. This collaborative process helps match exercises and tools to what feels most helpful for each person.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction and guided skill practice. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited or when a session needs to fit into a short break. Live chat and text messaging support brief check-ins, step-by-step coaching, and ongoing accountability between longer sessions. These formats add flexibility so people can access consistent care around work, caregiving, and daily obligations.

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Questions people ask

What kinds of concerns does Penny address?

Penny helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, self-esteem, grief, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and related concerns listed in her specialties.

How would you describe her therapy style?

She works in a collaborative, non-judgmental way and focuses on practical tools. Sessions combine supportive listening with skill-building to address both immediate problems and longer-term patterns.

What is her professional background?

Penny brings 30 years of clinical experience to her work. Her practice integrates several evidence-informed approaches to tailor care to each person.

Where is Penny licensed and based?

Penny holds LPC and LCPC credentials and practices in California as noted by her licensure details.

What languages are offered for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

International clients are not currently accepted.

Which session formats are available?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.

How does pricing and getting started work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

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