Matthew Tapia, LMFT

Matthew Tapia is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with 11 years of clinical experience working with individuals, couples, and families. He holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from San Jose State University. As an LMFT Matthew is trained to address relationship dynamics and family systems, and as a BCBA he has specialized training in behavioral assessment and intervention.

Matthew has provided direct mental health and behavioral counseling across private practice and nonprofit clinic settings, serving children, teens, and adults facing anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, autism and Asperger syndrome, ADHD, parenting and caregiving stress, relationship and family problems, and other life transitions. His professional background includes roles as clinician, supervisor, consultant, and trainer, and he has supported crisis response efforts and first responders through difficult experiences.

His clinical style draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Matthew emphasizes a collaborative approach that meets clients where they are, helping them build practical skills, strengthen relationships, and move toward meaningful values. An early experience guiding a couple through communication breakdowns informs his focus on creating space for vulnerability, empathy, and durable change in relationships.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care

Matthew integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people clarify what matters most to them and build practical actions that align with those values. ACT supports coping with anxiety, stress, and life transitions by combining acceptance strategies with committed behavior change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and patterns, teaching concrete skills to manage depression, anxiety, and problem behaviors. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) contributes emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness tools - it is especially useful for intense emotions, relationship conflict, and improving coping under stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic work. Matthew collaborates with each client to tailor methods to their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting techniques from these approaches as progress and feedback guide the process. The relationship is treated as a partnership in which the therapist and client decide together what fits best.

Online therapy with Matthew is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to access consistent care from home, work, or elsewhere and allow therapists to use evidence-based strategies in ways that suit each client’s life and circumstances.