01 · Who Howard works with

Howard works with stress, Anxiety, addictions and LGBT

Howard lists 9 specialisms and 23 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Howard chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Howard's own words

What Howard says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

As a licensed therapist in California with over two decades of experience, I specialize in supporting individuals through complex life challenges. My practice centers on addressing stress, anxiety, addiction, and mental health concerns with a compassionate, culturally responsive approach.

I have extensive expertise working with diverse populations, including LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, older adults, and those navigating challenging life transitions. My therapeutic approach is deeply rooted in understanding each person's unique experiences, with a particular focus on issues like social anxiety, trauma recovery, mood disorders, and personal growth.

I am committed to creating a supportive, affirming environment where clients can explore their challenges, develop resilience, and work towards meaningful personal transformation. My approach integrates evidence-based practices tailored to meet each individual's specific needs and goals.

Whether you're struggling with panic attacks, relationship dynamics, addiction, or seeking support through significant life changes, I'm dedicated to walking alongside you with empathy, respect, and professional guidance.

Howard Acosta, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Howard works

The 4 approaches Howard lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Howard lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Howard's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Howard runs a session.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Mindfulness-Based TherapyMBCT

Trains attention on what is happening right now - body, breath, the thought as it arrives - so distress can be observed rather than automatically acted on. Strongest evidence is in preventing depression from recurring, and it is usually taught as a practice you keep doing outside the session.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Howard practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Howard's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Howard at this point.

2. Naming Howard specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Howard is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Howard.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

3 questions worth asking Howard

Built from what Howard actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Howard's - Howard has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 24 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCSW

Licensed in

California

Licence

CA LCSW 74837

Licence number

74837

Licence expires

31 Jul 2028

NPI

1043590953

Years in practice

24

Gender

Male

Languages

English

International clients

Accepted

Listed since

9 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Howard's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Howard. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.