Leonard (Lenny) Marino

Hello! My name is Lenny, and it is my thought that nobody gets anywhere alone; so I am happy you are here. I have been working in the mental health field for about four years in community-based and group-focused services. I also have my own personal experiences as a consumer of the mental health industry. What this means is that I will not look at you as a diagnosis, or a cluster of symptoms, but as a human being. A central foundation of mine lies with self-determination; I believe each person knows what is best for him or herself, even in the hardest of times when we feel lost. I have worked with a diversity of people, and they probably taught me more than I taught them so I try to start at a place of openness, because I want you to be able to bring your whole self into the counseling session. I am a white, gay man which means there are a lot of things I have not experienced, however, I hope we can work to create a space comfortable enough to talk about experiences that you want to open up about. Our goals, values and tools stem from the communities we are involved in, whether they be spiritual, race, sexuality, gender, disability, and so on. None of us have all the answers, but I am willing to learn with you so that we can use everything at our disposal. I use a variety of approaches in my counseling including: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, to name a few (one thing I have learned is that people really like to abbreviate stuff). On top of these approaches, I work to incorporate humor and a multicultural focus into my work. Whatever work we do together, will be a partnership and it will be an honor to get to know you.