Mary Kay Zayani, LCSW

Mary Kay Zayani is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 25 years of experience offering compassionate, practical support for people facing life transitions, relationship struggles, grief, anxiety, depression, and a range of other concerns. She holds a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Columbia University in New York and is licensed to practice in California and New York. Her long career spans work with individuals and families, addressing issues such as parenting challenges, addiction, career questions, intimacy and relationship difficulties, body image and eating concerns, ADHD, and coping with major life changes.

Her therapeutic style blends strength-based perspectives with cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic methods, creating a collaborative space where clients are listened to, validated, and encouraged to discover their own answers. As a clinician she emphasizes emotional stabilization, practical self-soothing skills, and gentle examination of unhelpful core beliefs and thinking patterns. Mary Kay approaches each person with warmth and nonjudgmental curiosity, supporting clients as they identify goals, build coping strategies, and work toward greater resilience and clarity.

She also focuses on attachment and abandonment issues, family-of-origin dynamics, communication and commitment challenges, forgiveness and shame, and the complexities of separation and infidelity. Mary Kay combines clinical experience and motivational coaching to help people move forward with intention and greater self-understanding.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Mary Kay Zayani draws from attachment-based therapy, client-centered therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy to tailor support to each person's needs. Attachment-based therapy explores how early relationships shape current patterns and helps individuals develop more secure ways of relating, which can be useful for intimacy, abandonment, and family-of-origin concerns. Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathetic listening and nonjudgmental presence, giving clients space to explore their feelings and discover personal solutions while feeling deeply heard. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering concrete tools for managing anxiety, depression, and difficult coping patterns.

Finding the right combination of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. Mary Kay works collaboratively with each person to assess goals, preferences, and practical needs, adjusting methods over time so therapy aligns with what is most helpful for the client. Her aim is to guide clients toward insight, skills, and meaningful change through a supportive partnership.

Online therapy with Mary Kay is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility around work, family, and location. These options make it easier to access regular care, maintain continuity during transitions, and fit sessions into busy schedules while still benefiting from the expertise of a licensed professional.