Matteo Russoniello

Matteo believes that therapy is a process where a client evolves through a genuine relationship and grows in their awareness and confidence. The counselor’s job is to listen with curiosity, be an attentive guide to the process, and provide support or feedback when requested, as well as kind insights when appropriate. Matteo offers services in both English and Spanish.

Matteo states:

My first job is to partner with you: to align together and see some of the challenges of your life. Having forged a strong enough working alliance together, we can explore some of your assumptions about life or trajectories you may want to change. It is my understanding that humans have a trajectory they tend to remain on and it is our job to co-create the best path toward your well-being.

It is my hope that together we may find a way for you to flourish and live authentically. It is my honor to employ sensitive, client-centered methods together with a Gestalt approach to gain a deeper understanding of who you are. The Gestalt approach is one where clients acknowledge all parts of themselves and grow in awareness of how these parts interact. My approach is collaborative and holistic: we may pay attention to factors related to the immediate issue to have a more well-rounded understanding.

I believe that clients are unique and I therefore tailor my approach to your specific needs. Universally, however, clients can expect to embrace more of themselves and take ownership over their lives. As you align what is outside with what is going on inside, you will begin to feel better. I always repeat, “awareness itself is curative”.

Client-Centered Therapy founder Carl Rogers emphasized authenticity. Meaning that if we can have a relationship in which we can be our honest selves, that is more than half the battle. From that strong relationship, we can explore how life can be overwhelming and build systems of support.

I specialize in counseling issues surrounding LGBTQ+ identity, discrimination, grief, trauma, body image, video game addiction, religion, and spirituality. My work is supervised by Tim Jenkins, LCPC and we train weekly on special topics in grand rounds.

People say I am easy-going and approach life with a sense of humor. I’ve also been told that I have an infectiously calm personality. As we work together, I am sure we will get to know each other better as people. I look forward to meeting you.