Monica Rosario, LMSW

she/her/ella

You made it! Let’s celebrate the courageous steps you took to get here, because starting therapy (whether this is your first time or not) can be scary and difficult. Congrats on taking those steps towards reaching your personal goals! 

First, I want to acknowledge that life is complex. As human beings, we all experience our own sets of challenges, obstacles, fears, and problems that can impact our lives in different ways. Sometimes we might keep these difficult things hidden deep inside or learn ways to deal (or not deal) with them that might not give us the result we are hoping for. There are a lot of reasons we do this, things like fear (such as being judged, rejected, or misunderstood,), expectations of others, or our own uncertainty. You might feel the need to put on a brave face and “fake it ‘til you make it.” Whatever the reasons are, I want you to know that you are not alone and it’s okay to not be okay. Let’s work together to build a space where you can feel supported and comfortable to talk about and explore your vulnerabilities. 

My approach is person-centered, meaning my belief is that you are the expert on your own life experiences. I believe what you feel and have experienced has value and meaning AND that it can be helpful to have an outside perspective to recognize our patterns and behaviors. Our lives are filled with so many responsibilities, expectations, and things pulling us in multiple directions that you may feel too busy to prioritize your needs or even consider what they might be. Maybe you have been feeling stuck or so overwhelmed that you can’t even imagine how things could change. I believe that therapy is an opportunity to take a “timeout” from the stress of daily pressures and check-in with ourselves about how we are really doing. Our time together will be a conversation where my role is to help guide and empower you along your own journey of self-exploration and healing in reaching your goals. In our time together, you can expect a warm, non-judgmental, and collaborative atmosphere where curiosity, humor, laughter, and self-compassion flourish. 

About Me: I grew up in El Paso, TX and moved to Austin for college. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and later master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. I have experience supporting people of all ages experiencing anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, relationship issues, challenges with life transitions, grief & loss, and identity exploration. I am passionate about working with individuals from various racial and ethnic identities, personal and cultural backgrounds, abilities, income levels, first-generation college students, and with athletes and coaches. I want to connect with you to co-create a working relationship that feels supportive and safe for you to discuss and explore the issues that you are experiencing. 

Some of my life passions: my pup, live music, traveling (especially anywhere in the sun and near the water), swimming, exploring neighborhoods I hardly visit, reading, cooking, college sports, spending time with my loved ones, learning new things 

I believe (and research supports!) that the relationship between a client and their therapist is a significant factor for clients to feel better through therapy. You deserve to feel like your therapist is really listening, cares about you, understands, can handle anything you bring, and empowers you through this journey. I would love to meet with you to see if we are a good match, or also to help connect you with another therapist.