Community Highlights: Meet Marissa Botello of Marissa Botello Therapeutic and ADHD Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Botello

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I knew from a young age I wanted to pursue a career that involved providing care and being a part of a greater community. Early on in my career I worked extensively with children and also adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I felt most passionate about helping with the treatment of ADHD and the common co-occurring depression and anxiety. My journey has been long and very much worth all the hard work it required. Pursuing my dream took six years of school, several internships, and gaining thousands of licensing required hours. After becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider I decided to venture into creating my own private practice to provide therapeutic services to those who have historically been overlooked. I am now a small business owner with the passion of connecting with the communities who need therapeutic services and providing top of the line care.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to becoming a Licensed and Marriage Family Therapist is one that takes dedication and time. I took my first job as an associate in January of 2020 only for therapeutic services to shutter when the Covid lockdowns happened in March of 2020. Suddenly mental health professionals had to rush to figure out how to still provide essential services. Although it was a tough time I think it only made our field as a whole that much stronger and more capable. There is also the fact that in graduate programs we do not take a single business class and are not taught the basics of setting up a private practice. When it comes time to put all the hard work into action and start a small business it can be very overwhelming with limited resources.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Marissa Botello Therapeutic and ADHD Services is a private practice that aims to provide the best therapeutic care possible for those experiencing ADHD, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and adult children of narcissistic parents. I specialize in working with those who have received a later life ADHD diagnosis, particularly women as they have most likely been overlooked. My private practice aims to provide a new take on therapeutic treatment with an eclectic approach and helping patients with setting up the best support system they need. It is different from the more traditional and rigid treatment of trying to change who people are and attempting to use shame in order to fit them into a neurotypical box. I am proud to bring a collaborative and empowering approach to therapy in which people process how they can move forward and achieve the growth they desire. I currently offer telehealth services for the entire state of California and in-person services in Westlake Village at Engage Psychological Services. Sessions are one on one for fifty minutes and offers a space to process historical and present life events, gain executive functioning skills, and build introspection to set up emotional supports.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
To my fellow clinicians, starting a private practice can seem daunting and almost impossible when you are looking at it from the starting point. My advice is to not get overwhelmed and reach out to those around you who may have any experience in starting a small business. There is also an importance in connecting with other service providers including those with a similar area of expertise. Joining multiple case consultation groups and having point of contacts with local medical service providers can go a long way over time.
To those thinking about starting or returning to therapy, you are so brave for pursuing therapeutic services. It takes strength to show up for yourself and those in your life. Do not put too much pressure on yourself and know growth is uncomfortable and requires us to lean into the discomfort throughout multiple points in our life. Take it step by step and find the right therapist for yourself. There are multiple options for finding a therapist that is right for you. The first being to ask your primary care physician if they have any referrals or recommendations for mental health services. There is also the option to look at online therapist directories and taking the time sort through possible good candidates and call group practices. There is also word of mouth and asking those in your life if they know of anyone who could possibly provide the services and specialities you need.

Pricing:

• Sliding Scale Options Available
• In-Network with Multiple Insurances

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marissabtherapy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissabtherapy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566964632624
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-botello-6776051b6

Image Credits
Leigha Smith Photography