About Douglas Pleiman
Focus areas
Addiction Therapy
Couples Therapy
Dual Diagnosis
Adolescent / Teen Issues
Depression
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Anxiety
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Clientele seen
Teenagers (13-17)
Seniors (65+)
Families
Young adults (18-24)
Individuals
Groups
Adults (25-64)
Couples
Treatment approaches
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing
Dialectical (DBT)
Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)
Mindfulness-Based (MBCT)
Strength-Based
Identity
Gender
MaleLanguages spoken
English
Getting to know Douglas Pleiman
Doug Pleiman, LCSW, LAADC, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and the founder and Clinical Director of Brain Repair Therapy Services in San Clemente, California. He works with adults, teens and young adults, and couples, in person at the Camino Mira Costa office or by telehealth across California.
Doug's practice centers on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and treats anxiety and depression, trauma and PTSD, and addiction, with a particular focus on people dealing with substance use and trauma at the same time. He runs a 12-week DBT Skills Group in San Clemente with rolling admission, covering mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Every clinician at Brain Repair holds an addiction credential in addition to their clinical training.
His approach is practical and skills-based: sessions focus on what is actually happening in your life and on concrete tools you can use between appointments, grounded in CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed care. Your first individual, couples, or teen session is free and runs the full length of a regular session, so you can decide whether the fit is right before committing. Evening and weekend appointments are available depending on the clinician's schedule.
Doug holds a Master's in Clinical Social Work from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor's in Psychology from Virginia Tech. California LCSW #107943, LAADC #LR05621120.
What should a new client know about working with you?
You don't need to have it all figured out before you come in. Many people who book with me aren't sure therapy is right for them yet, and the first session is where we work that out together. That first individual, couples, or teen session is free and runs the full length of a regular session, so there's no pressure to commit before you know whether we're a good fit.
My style is direct, warm, and practical. I'm not going to sit back and nod; I'll ask real questions, give you honest feedback, and send you home with something concrete to try. We'll spend most of our time on what is actually happening in your life right now and on building skills you can use between sessions, drawing on DBT, CBT, and trauma-informed approaches.
If substance use is part of the picture, you can say so without worrying about being judged or turned away. I'm licensed in both clinical social work and addiction counseling, and treating addiction and trauma together, rather than one at a time, is a core part of how I work.
Sessions are available in person at our San Clemente office or by telehealth anywhere in California. If you're interested in the 12-week DBT Skills Group, you don't need to be a current client to join; admission is rolling, and it meets in person.
What is your typical process for working with clients?
The first session is a full-length conversation about what brought you in, what you've already tried, and what you'd want to be different. I'll ask about your history, including any substance use, trauma, or past treatment, and by the end we'll have a shared sense of whether this is a good fit and what we'd work on first. If it isn't the right fit, I'll say so and help you find someone who is.
From there, sessions are typically weekly and run about 50 minutes. A typical session starts with a quick check-in on how the week went and anything you tried from last time, then moves into the main work: that might be learning and practicing a specific DBT skill, working through a situation that went badly using CBT, or, for trauma, building stability and coping first before we go anywhere near the hard material. We end by agreeing on something concrete to practice before the next session.
Progress is reviewed openly and regularly. We'll revisit the goals we set in the first session, adjust the plan as your life changes, and talk about spacing sessions out or wrapping up when you're ready rather than keeping you in therapy longer than you need. Clients working on DBT skills can add the 12-week DBT Skills Group alongside individual sessions or attend the group on its own.
Douglas Pleiman is not in-network with any insurances
It’s common for mental health providers to be out-of-network. Many insurance plans offer out-of-network coverage, so you may get partially reimbursed. Learn more
More information on payments and coverage
Brain Repair Therapy Services is a private-pay practice and is not in-network with any insurance plans. Your first individual, couples, or teen session is free and runs the full length of a regular session. After that, individual and teen sessions are $150 to $250, couples sessions are $175 to $250, and the 12-week DBT Skills Group is $100 per session. If you have a PPO plan with out-of-network mental health benefits, we provide a superbill after each session that you can submit to your insurer for reimbursement; many PPO plans reimburse a meaningful portion of the fee. We are happy to walk you through how to check your out-of-network benefits before your first paid session.
Office location
Education and background
Practice names
Education and training
- University of Southern California, Master's in Clinical Social Work
- Virginia Tech, Bachelor's of Psychology
NPI number
1922545326
How soon can I make an appointment with Douglas Pleiman?
Generally, Douglas Pleiman has appointments available on Zocdoc within 1 week. You can see Douglas Pleiman's earliest availability on Zocdoc and make an appointment online.
Is Douglas Pleiman accepting new patients?
Douglas Pleiman generally accepts new patients on Zocdoc. You can see Douglas Pleiman's earliest availability on Zocdoc and schedule an appointment online.
Does Douglas Pleiman accept my insurance?
Choose your insurance plan to verify if Douglas Pleiman is in-network.
Can I make an appointment with Douglas Pleiman online?
Yes, you can make an appointment online with Douglas Pleiman using Zocdoc. It’s simple, secure, and free.
What practice does Douglas Pleiman work with?
Douglas Pleiman works with Brain Repair Therapy Services.
Where is Douglas Pleiman's office located?
Douglas Pleiman's office is located at 3551 Camino Mira Costa, San Clemente, CA 92672.
What are common reasons for patients to see Douglas Pleiman?
Douglas Pleiman frequently sees patients for Depression, New Patient Visit, Psychotherapy, Psychotherapy Intake / Initial Visit, and Therapy. You can see other visit reasons for Douglas Pleiman on their profile.
What languages does Douglas Pleiman speak?
Douglas Pleiman speaks English.