Mary Kay Zayani, LCSW - Therapist in California

About Mary

Mary Kay Zayani is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 25 years of experience. She offers straightforward, respectful support for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting questions, career shifts, addictions, and life transitions. Her tone is warm and encouraging, aimed at helping someone who feels stuck or overwhelmed find practical next steps.

Mary Kay listens carefully and helps clients notice patterns that make life harder.

Background and approach

She uses clear, down-to-earth strategies to calm intense emotions and reduce daily stress. Sessions focus on practical tools, better communication, and rebuilding confidence. Her work blends attachment-based thinking, client-centered listening, cognitive-behavioral ideas, dialectical skills, and existential perspectives.

That mix supports both short-term coping and deeper reflection about meaning and connection. She helps people challenge unhelpful thoughts while also attending to feelings and values. Mary Kay trained in clinical social work and holds licensure in California and New York as an LCSW.

Her practice includes one-on-one conversations that aim to make problems more manageable and choices clearer. She respects each person’s pace and welcomes honest, real conversation. People who come wanting clear tools and steady emotional support often find the sessions practical and calming.

The work here is collaborative - she offers guidance, teaches skills, and helps clients arrive at their own solutions.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Mary Kay often uses attachment-based approaches that look at how early connections shape current relationships and emotional responses; this helps people understand patterns in closeness, trust, and conflict. She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy - a practical method that identifies unhelpful thoughts and replaces them with more realistic alternatives to reduce distress and improve daily functioning.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. Mary Kay works with each person to figure out what methods match their goals, needs, and comfort level. She offers straightforward explanations and adjusts strategies as things change over time.

Online therapy formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which can make scheduling easier around work and family life. These options let people use short check-ins, longer weekly sessions, or flexible messaging to practice skills between conversations. The online setting supports consistent, ongoing work while keeping the focus on clear tools, steady support, and practical progress.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns can Mary Kay help with?

She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting questions, career and coaching concerns, addictions, and coping with life changes, among other areas.

What is her approach in sessions?

Her style blends attachment-based thinking, client-centered listening, cognitive-behavioral techniques, dialectical skills, and existential ideas to offer both coping tools and deeper exploration.

How long has she practiced?

She has 25 years of experience in counseling and mental health work.

What credentials and location are listed?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - NY LCSW 075755 and CA LCSW 21199, practicing from California.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.

How does billing and cost work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working together?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Grief

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 25 years
Licensed: California, New York
Languages: English

Next step

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