Darla Cozzarelli, LCSW

Darla Cozzarelli is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in California who brings three years of focused clinical experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, depression, and challenges with self-esteem. She earned her degree from the University of Southern California and developed her clinical skills working in community mental health settings, where she supported individuals healing from trauma, navigating homelessness, and coping with co-occurring disorders such as substance use, psychotic, and mood disorders.

Darla has worked with people from many backgrounds and centers each person’s identity and lived experience in the work. As someone who was adopted and who has navigated her own mental health challenges, she combines professional training with personal insight to bring empathy, authenticity, and practical guidance to therapy. Her adoption story and lived experience inform how she listens, builds trust, and encourages self-discovery.

Clinically, she is skilled in crisis intervention and treatment planning - stabilizing people during acute moments while helping them build longer-term pathways toward growth. She describes her approach as person-centered and trauma-informed, drawing from cognitive behavioral therapy, seeking safety, motivational interviewing, and task-centered methods to support insight, self-efficacy, and gradual, meaningful change. She aims to create a respectful, affirming space where clients feel heard and supported as they work toward their goals.

Please note that Darla does not provide crisis or emergency services. If you are in crisis, call 911 or 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).

Approaches That Guide Online Care

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person’s own experience and values, with the therapist offering empathy, nonjudgmental listening, and support as the client explores goals and makes choices. This approach helps with self-esteem, identity questions, and finding direction in the face of loss or change.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and introduces practical strategies to shift unhelpful patterns. CBT is often useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and managing trauma-related symptoms in stepwise, skills-based work.

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative conversation style that helps people strengthen their own motivation for change. It can be especially helpful for concerns like substance use, ambivalence about treatment, or building readiness for new habits.

Deciding which approach fits best is part of the process. Darla works collaboratively with clients to identify goals, preferences, and practical needs, then tailors methods to match each person’s pace and circumstances. Together they can try strategies and adjust the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging makes it easier to access consistent care from home or on the go. These options provide flexibility for scheduling, allow work around busy days, and support ongoing therapeutic momentum between in-person visits when needed.