Nicole Szetela

(she/her)

LMFT, 5 years of experience
Open-minded
Humorous
Authentic
VirtualAvailable

I am a Licensed MFT in California. My clients describe me as a very easygoing and great listener who uses empathy and compassion and matches them on their level. I get told often that I'm not like other therapist which is a compliment. I have plenty of experience working with preteens, teens, and adults and helping with anxiety, OCD, trauma, depression, and life stressors.

Get to know me

In our first session together, here's what you can expect

The first session is the evaluation to make sure we're a good fit, because if it's not a good fit then therapy won't work between us. It's about creating a therapeutic relationship and building rapport. This is where you can ask me questions and I ask you questions to see what brought you into therapy and ways to create plans to help you be a better you.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

I like to listen and let client's do the talking. I take a passenger type of approach and I only jump in when I notice things are getting steered off topic. I don't push clients to talk about things they aren't ready to but I also don't let client's avoid the issues either. I tend to take things from a CBT perspective or Narrative depending on the issue. I also like to use DBT, Solution Focused and ERP where needed.

The clients I'm best positioned to serve

My approach is very client-centered. I tend to use CBT, DBT, ERP, Narrative, and Solution-Focused approaches to help people achieve their goals and tailor my techniques towards what my client needs because everyone is different. I have experience in many areas such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, OCD, BPD, grief, trauma, life stressors and changes, and relationship issues. I've also worked with many different demographics.

Other specialties

ADHD

Depression

I identify as

Serves ages

Teenagers (13 to 17)

Licensed in

Accepts

Location

Virtual

My treatment methods

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

I help clients identify negative thought patterns and how they impact your thoughts/feelings/behaviors and teach ways to reframe their thinking.

Dialectical Behavior (DBT)

There are a variety of ways I use DBT to help clients with distress tolerance and emotional regulation.

Narrative

In this type of therapy, it is believed that we all make meaning in our lives through the stories we tell—about ourselves, our experiences, and our relationships. I listen to the stories and help clients determine where their story is coming from.

Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)

This approach relies on being able to sit with anxiety and wait for it to decrease without completing a compulsion. It does rely heavily on homework.

, 7 ratings

2 ratings with written reviews

October 22, 2025

Best therapist I've ever worked with.

Verified client, age 25-34
Review shared after session 1 with Nicole

October 12, 2025

Nicole is warm, friendly, knowledgeable and a great listener. She's helped me navigate through some trying times. Still is. She is so appreciated.

Verified client, age 55-64
Review shared after session 1 with Nicole