Attachment-based Therapists in Haywood Park, San Mateo, CA

My areas of focus are working with adults on with work related stress, anxiety, depression, self–esteem, attachment, relationships, interpersonal communication, and life transitions. I work with adults of all ages and a variety of backgrounds. One population I work a lot with are those having jobs in the technology sector (i.e. Silicon Valley), that can be stressful and demanding. We can work towards learning skills like: effective communications with coworkers, regulating emotions when work loads feel overwhelming, and having work/life balance; as well as other topics such as social, personal, relationships and mental wellness.

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist that works with children, couples, families, and individuals that are experiencing relational challenges in their lives and are in need of healthier emotional experiences and accompanying behaviors. My goal is to help clients navigate the complexities of life with a sense of security, peace, and learning. I have extensive history working with individuals, families and couples who are strained from challenging behaviors, unproductive familial patterns, and ongoing parent-child conflict.

If you feel like nothing makes you happy, no one understands you, and reaching your true potential is an impossible task, I’m here to help. I will give my absolute best so that we together can solve your dilemmas—however small or encompassing. I am an English and Farsi bilingual California-licensed therapist with eight years of extensive professional experience. I have a Doctorate (PsyD) in Marriage and Family Therapy.

I am passionate about providing therapy to individuals from childhood to adulthood experiencing a variety of challenges including anxiety, depression, life transitions, trauma, and grief, as well as people wanting to explore relationship dynamics and identity. My approach is warm, collaborative, and culturally attuned, drawing from a range of therapeutic models to target each client’s specific needs.

In a marriage most people would like to feel appreciated and understood. Experiencing enjoyable moments and memories in our relationships. The confidence that we can receive support from our spouse and that we can share our needs. Being able to have moments of connection and intimacy. If you are struggling with relationship problems and find yourself feeling: lonely, frustrated unloved, insecure, angry, disconnected, empty, unfulfilled, and under appreciated, I would like to be your guide taking steps decrease relationship pain.

My approach to therapy focuses on creating a safe, authentic place to explore feelings, patterns and options. I help clients articulate goals for therapy so that together we can create a positive, productive therapeutic relationship. Working in private practice for over 14 years, I've seen individuals experiencing a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, divorce, complex PTSD, grief, body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, self-harming behaviors (cutting), parenting issues, and all types of relationship struggles.

Your unique story, beliefs, dreams, ethnic/racial/sexual identity & life challenges will be honored in a non-judgemental environment. My style is interactive and empathic, emphasizing self-compassion. Areas of focus: infertility counseling, reproductive health, PTSD/trauma, grief and loss, mood disorders (anxiety, panic, depression) skillful parenting, career decisions, traumatic divorce, managing the stress of major life transitions. My treatment modalities include the psycho-dynamic process, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based psychology, EMDR & healing yoga/mediation practices. www.dianecotelcsw.com

Through my experience I have developed a therapeutic approach rooted in empathy, collaboration, and proactive skill development. My diverse professional background informs my compassionate approach to care. I value understanding clients' experiences and perspectives, working together we can address your mental health concerns, and empowering you with practical skills to cope with challenges and promote well-being. I am passionate about working with adolescents navigating the stressors of school and their teenage years, as well as helping high-achieving adults cope.

Wherever you are on life's journey, and whatever feelings or behaviors you feel stuck in, you are welcome here. ALL parts of you are welcome here, exactly as you are. I'm a licensed psychotherapist that uses an integrative approach to focus on your current concerns and goals using the relationship between the mind, body, and spirit. My goal is to establish a warm, supportive, authentic environment offering questions and reflections that can guide you in handling your challenges and making the changes you desire.

I am curious about any ways you might have been cut off from parts of your essential nature early in life. As a child perhaps you sang loudly, told jokes, danced and laughed easily and too much - but soon got the message that you should be more composed and quieter. Or perhaps you spoke your mind at the dinner table, but later you learned to keep your sharp wit and astute insights to yourself because you were encouraged to be agreeable. Maybe your independent nature got buried under 6 feet of niceness. The exiled parts emerge as dark moods, irritability, resentment, avoidant or anxious attachment. They surface as symptoms.

Thank you for your interest in my practice. I have counseled children and adults from many environments including school settings, low income neighborhoods, and non-profit agencies. I use a relational and psycho-dynamic framework and cognitive behavioral techniques. Children, adolescents, and adults often struggle with the stress of family, school, relationships, and the work environment. I enjoy helping my clients develop strategies to cope with these pressures. My private practice serves children, adolescents and families, as well as child-parent dyads dealing with depression, anxiety, and recovery from trauma.

I find joy in helping my clients gain self-acceptance, inner-strength, self-forgiveness, and a sense of hope. I have experience working with adults, adolescents, and children who are struggling with depression, anxiety, anger management, substance abuse, and life threatening illnesses as well as survivors of sexual assault. I have a special passion for working with survivors of trauma.

The change process varies, based on every individual, as does our treatment. I use Psychodynamic techniques (how we’ve been raised to interact with the world and people around us, and which parts of that experience still help us and which parts do not), Behavioral techniques (finding new ways in our lives to incentivize us to move us in more positive directions), Relational approaches (helping us re-define who we want to be with the people in our lives most important to us), and Systems theory (understanding how our race, gender, culture and background have impacted our journey and will play a role moving forward as well).

Have you felt different from others growing up? Are you questioning your gender identity or sexual orientation? Navigating coming out to friends or family? Or do you struggle with focusing, making appointments or deadlines on time, or turning many of your great ideas into reality? If so, then you’re not alone. Many people question their gender identity, sexual orientation, or just don’t quite fall into the outdated ways of being that society has laid out, and struggle with what that means for their lives. If any of these questions or statements resonate with you, then you have come to the right place.

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist whose specialty is helping others improve their relationships. I believe that we all aspire to have deep, loving connections in our lives. I will help you to remove hurdles that may be impeding such connections in your life. Often, among these hurdles may be unhealed childhood experiences, baggage from previous relationships, and dysfunctional relating styles. Becoming more clear on what you have inherited from your family and what you developed as coping mechanisms will be the first step in aligning with your authentic self.

Many of us appear to be functioning well in life, but in reality feel like imposters, often stressed and unsatisfied in our lives and relationships. I foster the discovery of genuine peace and fulfillment through "undoing aloneness," helping clients embrace their best and worst selves, and unearthing a more self-compassionate and authentic way of being. My clients are typically individuals and couples, seeking treatment for anxiety, perfectionism, trauma, and a wide variety of relational issues.

Hello, welcome to my profile. I'd like to introduce myself and give you a sense of who I am as a clinician. If you prefer not to read, please don’t hesitate to reach out for a phone consultation. My aim is to help you help yourself. You are both the expert on yourself and you also know what you want more than anyone else. As your therapist I develop an authentic bond to support you in this process of change that you wish to make. I am an advocate for your voice, and your needs at any point along the healing journey. While my job is to guide you through the process, at the end of the day true recovery is your journey.

I see a variety of individual adults and couples in my practice. I believe psychotherapy is an important tool in helping people discover their natural ability to heal, to love and to grow. I strive to help people develop awareness and trust in their instincts, coming to better know who they are. My focus with clients is to help them discover new ways of relating with themselves and others. I specialize in anxiety/trauma issues, depression, adolescence, couples and sexuality concerns. I use EMDR in my work and I teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy classes.

My approach to therapy is a very individual one. Each person begins therapy in a different place and is unique in how they go through their process. While respecting individuality, I will help you identify the problems, explore patterns of behavior and clarify destructive thought patterns. I encourage growth and introspection with my clients; however I will continually respect the pace that you need to develop at. I provide a safe and professional environment as well as a genuine concern for what issues you are addressing. I also provide custody mediation, co-parent counseling, child custody evaluations and parent coordination.