Vanessa Ayude
Vanessa Ayude
(she/her)
Some days—or even weeks—can feel heavier than others, leaving you stuck or overwhelmed. That’s totally normal, but those feelings can start to affect your decisions, self-esteem, relationships, and daily life. Change can feel daunting without support, and that’s where I come in. I’m here to walk alongside you, helping you navigate challenges with humor, metaphors, and a focus on what really matters—so you can build a happier, more authentic life for yourself and those you care about.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session, I use a semi-structured interview approach, asking thoughtful questions to gently guide the conversation and get a broad sense of your life and what’s bringing you to therapy. You don’t need to come fully prepared or feel pressured to share details you’re not comfortable with yet — I’ll respect your pace and focus on areas that might be impacting your current experience. By the end, I usually offer a small action step or homework to help you start making progress right away.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
What stands out about my approach is creating a trusting, laid-back space where you feel safe to be yourself—no pressure, no judgment. I use humor, metaphors, and a flexible blend of evidence-based methods tailored to your needs. Together, we’ll explore what really matters to you and take small, authentic steps toward the life you want. Reach out anytime, and let’s start this journey together!
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I’m best positioned to work with clients who are ready to take at least small steps toward change and who are seeking therapy on their own terms. If you’re motivated to explore your authentic self and open to a laid-back, collaborative approach that empowers you with humor and metaphor, we’ll likely be a great fit.
About Vanessa Ayude
I identify as
Serves ages
Licensed in
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Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients build a more flexible relationship with their thoughts and feelings, often using humor and metaphors to explore what really matters to them. Rather than pushing for change, I gently support clients in getting more comfortable with discomfort so they can move toward a life that feels more authentic and aligned with their values.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
With CBT, I work alongside clients to notice patterns in their thinking that might be tripping them up. Rather than rigidly challenging every thought, we explore how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected—often with a dose of humor and a metaphor or two—to help shift things in a way that feels authentic and sustainable.
Eclectic
While my foundation is in ACT, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused therapy, I also draw from a variety of other approaches—including existentialism, Gestalt, and DBT—to tailor my work to each client’s unique needs. I keep my approach flexible and personalized, blending different perspectives to support authentic exploration, growth, and practical change.
Motivational Interviewing
I use Motivational Interviewing to create a supportive, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their own motivations and ambivalence about change. By listening deeply and using reflective questions—often with a touch of humor—I help clients connect with their own values and move toward goals that feel genuinely meaningful to them.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
In my use of Solution-Focused Therapy, I like to keep things forward-looking and strengths-based, helping clients spot their own resources and successes—often using metaphors and humor to make the process feel approachable and relatable—so they can build practical steps toward the future they want.