Mary Kay Zayani, LCSW
California · 25 years in practice
Mary Kay Zayani greets people with steady presence and direct support.
License and registration
- LCSW, California
- 21199 · expires August 2026
- LCSW, New York
- 075755 · expires July 2027
- NPI
- 1407073950 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 25
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Mary
Mary Kay Zayani greets people with steady presence and direct support. She focuses on helping individuals who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure which direction to take. Her style is warm and listening-first, aimed at helping people find practical next steps and regain a sense of control.
She has 25 years of experience in counseling and holds a Master of Social Work in clinical counseling from Columbia University. Mary Kay is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW - in California and New York.
Background and approach
Over her career she has helped people cope with anxiety, depression, grief, relationship problems, and major life changes. Mary Kay blends existential ideas with approaches that focus on relationships and present-day thinking. Sessions emphasize understanding what matters to the person, then working on habits, thoughts, and interactions that get in the way.
She uses clear, steady guidance to help people test new behaviors and notice what shifts. In practical terms she helps people manage stress, work on communication and intimacy issues, address body image and eating concerns, and work through attachment or abandonment wounds. She also offers support around career decisions, parenting struggles, addictions, and coping with life transitions.
In sessions she listens, reflects, and asks questions that uncover patterns. People leave with concrete strategies they can try between meetings, and a clearer sense of their values and choices. Her goal is to help clients feel more grounded and able to move forward.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Mary lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Approaches Mary names
- Existential Therapy
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Jungian Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How her methods translate to online therapy
Mary Kay combines existential ideas with attachment-based and client-centered approaches. Existential work focuses on questions of meaning, choice, and responsibility and can help when life changes feel overwhelming or empty. Attachment-based work looks at patterns in close relationships and helps people understand how early connection shapes trust and intimacy. Client-centered methods prioritize listening, validation, and helping the person find their own answers rather than giving direct instructions.She views choosing an approach as a collaborative process. The therapist and client talk about goals and try methods that match the client's needs and preferences. Progress is tracked together and approaches are adjusted based on what helps most in daily life.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and nonverbal cues, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when being on camera is not desired, and live chat or text messaging suit quick check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to use methods consistently over time.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does she commonly address?
She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, career questions, addictions, parenting challenges, ADHD, and related concerns like body image and codependency.
How would you describe her therapeutic approach?
Her work blends existential perspectives with attachment-based and client-centered methods, plus cognitive and behavioral techniques. The focus is on clarifying values, improving relationships, and changing unhelpful thinking and habits.
What is her background and experience?
She has 25 years in counseling and mental health work and holds a Master of Social Work in clinical counseling from Columbia University.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She is an LCSW and holds licensure in New York and California. Her practice information lists California as the primary location.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
In which session formats can people meet with her?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Costs vary by location and therapist availability and are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's listed availability.
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