Dina Velazquez , LMFT

Dina Velazquez is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) now living on the east coast. She holds a Master of Counseling from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, CA, and has worked across community mental health settings as well as conducting clinical assessments for a health insurance carrier. Her clinical experience spans work with anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, self-esteem concerns, and substance use challenges, reflecting a broad practice with individuals facing life transitions and complex stressors.

Dina emphasizes a client-centered stance that honors each person’s unique story while integrating evidence-informed skills when useful. She draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy to teach emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness, uses Motivational Interviewing to support change when substance use or ambivalence arises, and applies solution-focused and cognitive behavioral techniques to build practical coping strategies. Dina views treatment as a collaborative process and adapts methods to fit each client’s goals and strengths.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Dina combines client-centered work with structured skill-building therapies to address a range of concerns. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating a respectful, empathetic environment where the client’s perspective guides the pace of work; this approach helps people who need space to explore identity, relationships, and meaning without directive instruction. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical strategies to identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, which can be especially useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, making it helpful for intense emotional states and relationship challenges.

Dina approaches treatment collaboratively, recognizing that finding the right therapeutic fit is part of the process. She will work with clients to clarify goals, try approaches that match needs and preferences, and adjust the plan over time so the methods feel useful and sustainable.

Online therapy offers flexibility for clients who need different ways to connect. Video calls allow for face-to-face interaction, phone sessions can be more convenient for busy days, and live chat or text-based messaging supports shorter check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to engage in consistent care while balancing work, family, and other responsibilities.