5 Phoenix Cognitive Behavioral Therapists Ready for Hire
When anxiety, overthinking, or emotional overwhelm take over your daily life, it impacts everything—your work, relationships, sleep, and sense of peace.
CBT is one of the most researched and effective approaches for breaking these cycles, but the right therapeutic fit makes all the difference in your healing journey.
In my therapy practice, I blend CBT and clinical expertise with deep compassion and nervous system awareness, creating a safe space for holistic healing.
Here, I share more about my approach and offer some referral options for other local CBT therapists in case my practice isn’t the right fit.
Meet the therapists
Best for integrating CBT with mind-body approaches: Nancy West
Best for CBT for sports performance: Jack Dawson
Best for weekend CBT appointments: James Sapp
Best for CBT for men’s issues: Joshua Henry
Best for CBT for pregnancy/postpartum: Heather Lucas
Why trust me?
As a seasoned clinician with over 15 years of experience, I’m trained in CBT and use this evidence-backed method as the core of my clinical practice. At the same time, it’s not the only thing that informs my approach. I also draw on Polyvagal Theory and mindfulness techniques, recognizing that true change involves the mind and body. This blended approach, combined with my structured, results-oriented therapy model and extensive experience, gives me a unique edge compared to other CBT therapists.
How I selected
In addition to myself, I chose to highlight other Phoenix CBT therapists who have diverse specialty areas and who work with a range of populations. My goal is to connect you with the care you need—and deserve—whether that means working with me or someone else.
Meet the therapists
Nancy West
Best for integrating CBT with mind-body approaches
| Good fit for: | Not a fit for: |
|---|---|
| Blending CBT with mindfulness and polyvagal theory | Medication management |
| Anxiety, depression, grief | Long-term psychoanalytic therapy |
| Setting boundaries | Biweekly or monthly sessions |
Uses CBT: ✓
Clientele: Adults
Location: 19820 N 7th St, Suite 230, Phoenix, AZ 85024
Virtual therapy?: Yes
I combine traditional CBT with Polyvagal Theory to help clients understand how their nervous system shapes thoughts and behaviors. My approach is warm, evidence-based, and focused on building practical skills for anxiety regulation, boundary setting, and emotional resilience.
Jack Dawson
Best for CBT for sports performance
| Good fit for: | Not a fit for: |
|---|---|
| Performance anxiety | Medication management |
| Trauma-informed CBT | Female therapist |
| Adolescents | Family therapy |
Uses CBT: ✓
Clientele: Pre-teens, teens, adults
Location: 2990 East Northern Avenue, Suite A100, Phoenix, AZ 85028
Virtual therapy?: Yes
Jack uses trauma-informed CBT to help young people and adults with stress, self-esteem, anger, and mood changes. As a former athlete himself, he also specializes in helping people navigating sports performance issues and has experience working with clients that play baseball, basketball, football, and more.
James Sapp
Best for weekend CBT appointments
| Good fit for: | Not a fit for: |
|---|---|
| Evening & weekend availability | Medication management |
| CBT blended with DBT, EMDR & IFS | Female therapist |
| Teens | Child therapy |
Uses CBT: ✓
Clientele: Teens, adults, families, couples
Location: 10000 North 31st Avenue, Suite B103, Phoenix, AZ 85051
Virtual therapy?: Yes
James integrates CBT with other modalities such as DBT, EMDR, and IFS to offer clients an evidence-based, fully customized therapy experience. His practice specializes in trauma, codependency, and addiction, among other issues.
Joshua Henry
Best for CBT for men’s issues
Uses CBT: ✓
Clientele: Adults, primarly men
Location: Phoenix, AZ 85008
Virtual therapy?: Yes
Joshua specializes in using CBT to help men understand the underlying causes of stress and anxiety to effectively shifft those patterns. He believes that therapy is about equipping you with the skills you need to thrive, not “fixing” you.
| Good fit for: | Not a fit for: |
|---|---|
| Men experiencing anxiety, depression, or stress | Medication management |
| Evening sessions | Female therapist |
| In-person and virtual | Children or teens |
Heather Lucas
Best for CBT for pregnancy/postpartum
| Good fit for: | Not a fit for: |
|---|---|
| Postpartum anxiety, depression, psychosis & OCD | Medication management |
| Moms who need to bring their baby to session | Family therapy |
| CBT integrated with DBT, IFS, & mindfulness | Child therapy |
Uses CBT: ✓
Clientele: Adults, primarily women
Location: 16601 North 40th Street, Suite 216, Phoenix, AZ 85032
Virtual therapy?: Yes
Heather blends CBT with other effective methods like DBT and IFS to help new moms navigate this joyful yet often challenging season of life. She offers both in-person and virtual sessions to make getting care as accessible as possible during pregnancy and postpartum.
FAQs about cognitive behavioral therapy
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CBT is one of the most researched psychotherapy tools, and studies have shown that it’s highly effective for people experiencing everything from stress and anxiety to eating disorders. It works be helping you understand the relationship between your thoughts and actions, so it can be applied to most life challenges. If you’re not sure whether CBT is right for you, contact me for a free consultation so we can discuss your situation directly.
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Yes, insurance often covers CBT. As an out of network provider, I don’t bill insurance companies directly, but I can provide you with documentation that you can submit for reimbursement. This model allows fo rmore personalized, flexible care that’s not limited to the confines of what your insurance plan will cover.
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While CBT is a highly effective therapy method, it may not be the right fit in all situations. If you’re in active crisis, you’ll likely benefit more from immediate stabilization than structured CBT sessions (call the 988 Helpline for immediate support if you’re in crisis).
It’s also not a match for those seeking purely insight-oriented therapy without practical skill-building, or individuals who aren't ready to actively participate in homework assignments and behavioral changes.
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The first appointment will be an intake session where I’ll gather more information about your background and what brings you into therapy. From here, we’ll blend CBT with nervous system understanding to help you see real results. You'll learn practical tools for managing anxiety, setting boundaries, and regulating emotions. Sessions include psychoeducation, skill practice, and gentle nervous system regulation techniques. I use a structured 3-weeks-per-month model that provides consistent support while allowing time for integration and reflection between sessions.
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We’re likely a good fit if you're seeking evidence-based therapy that honors both mind and body, want practical tools alongside emotional support, and resonate with a warm but structured approach. My clients are motivated to participate actively in their healing and appreciate therapists who blend clinical expertise with genuine compassion and understanding of trauma and nervous system responses.
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Getting started is simple—fill out this brief form to book a free consultation call where we'll discuss your goals, answer any questions, and determine if our approach aligns with your needs. There's no pressure, just an opportunity to see if we're the right fit for your healing journey. If we decide to move forward, we’ll schedule your first appointment.