Exploring Life & Business with Staci Diner of Therapy With Staci

Today we’d like to introduce you to Staci Diner

Hi Staci, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I became a Marriage and Family Therapist because of my own journey with my mental health. Being adopted, managing OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), and living with ADHD (Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) brought unique challenges that shaped who I am today. Therapy played a transformative role in my life that I felt inspired to help others navigate their own paths toward healing.

The road to becoming a therapist wasn’t easy. Schooling and licensure were tough, but the real work began when I decided to take the principles I was learning and apply them to myself. I quit drinking, started prioritizing my mental and physical health, and worked on confronting the issues I had been avoiding. That process not only changed me personally, but also made me a stronger clinician.

When I started working with clients in 2015, I initially shied away from working with people who shared similar struggles. It felt intimidating—like I hadn’t “earned” the right to help others with issues I was still working through myself. But over time, I leaned into the process of healing my relationship with OCD and found a deep passion for helping people who are dealing with OCD and anxiety disorders.

Now, I feel grateful every day to guide individuals and couples through their challenges. My practice is built on a foundation of compassion, resilience, and the belief that no matter where you are in your journey, meaningful change is possible.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The journey to where I am now has been anything but smooth. Alongside navigating my own mental health, the backdrop of major world events added another layer of complexity. In late 2019, I decided to take a leap of faith and open my private practice. But as we all know, 2020 had other plans. Practically overnight, I had to transition years of in-person work to Telehealth while supporting my clients through their own uncertainties—all while facing my own. These times were far from easy, but focusing on what I could control and continuing the work on myself became instrumental in guiding both my personal and professional growth.

On a deeply personal note, March 2024 marked a life-altering moment. I received an email notification about a DNA match—a first cousin—who ultimately connected me with my biological mother, someone I had never met. The experience was both surreal and overwhelming. I remember absorbing this information while still having to log into Zoom sessions with clients, the magnitude of the news swirling in my mind.

That evening, my biological mother wrote back to me. What began as text exchanges quickly evolved into phone calls, during which she shared the story of my birth. She explained that she hadn’t wanted to give me up but, due to a dangerous situation with my biological father, she made the choice to protect me. After a private adoption, she was allowed only a few minutes with me before saying goodbye. 5 days later, I was with my parents on a plane to California.

Processing this revelation was cathartic but also emotionally complex, as it unearthed feelings I hadn’t fully confronted before. Over the next few months, I also connected with my biological siblings and, in June, traveled with my parents to meet my birth mother and siblings in person. I returned in October with my mother and got an airbnb with her and my birth mother, which was an amazing time. Despite our different lives, the similarities between my biological mother and me suddenly made so much sense.

Growing up, there were countless unanswered questions quietly lingering in the background of my life. Now, those questions finally have answers. While this journey has been profoundly positive, it has also been challenging to navigate something so deeply personal while continuing to show up as a therapist for others. This experience has taught me resilience and deepened my understanding of the human capacity for healing and connection, lessons that I carry with me in every aspect of my work

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who has been practicing since 2015 and I opened my private practice in 2020. I specialize in working with adult individuals and couples, focusing on anxiety, OCD, codependency, and relationship challenges. My approach is highly personalized—I use a mix of behavioral strategies and mindfulness techniques, tailoring the work to each client’s unique needs. I also bring a sense of humor to our sessions, creating a safe and enjoyable environment for growth and healing.

What sets my practice apart is my commitment to making therapy approachable, relatable, and genuinely effective. I understand how daunting it can be to confront personal challenges, so I aim to create a space where clients feel supported and understood while tackling even the most difficult issues. My own experiences with mental health have deepened my empathy and shaped how I approach the therapeutic process.

I’m most proud of offering a space where clients can address their struggles without fear of judgment and where we can work together toward meaningful change. I want my clients to know that whether they’re managing anxiety, navigating relationship difficulties, or learning to set boundaries, I’m here to support them with tools, insight, and care. Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all process, and I’m dedicated to meeting each client exactly where they are to guide them toward where they want to be.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The COVID-19 pandemic taught me many lessons, but the most profound was the importance of embracing the present moment. While planning for the future has its place, the reality is that nothing in life is certain. If someone had told me in 2019 that the following year would bring a global lockdown due to a deadly virus, I wouldn’t have believed it.

This experience reminded me that life is unpredictable—filled with both joyful surprises and challenges we could never anticipate. As much as we might try to create a sense of certainty about how things will unfold, the truth is, we can’t always know. What we can do is adapt, stay grounded, and find ways to navigate whatever comes our way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.therapywithstaci.com

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