Zakree Buccitelli

I'm well-versed in a variety of disciplines due to what life has demanded of me for my own recovery and wellness. I have spent time as a personal trainer, mentor, musician, and professional counselor. Having both personally and professionally navigated the domains of physical, mental, and spiritual health, I'm of firm belief that a good clinician will address every aspect of person, and not reduce them to a collection of symptoms or confine them to a label.

It's my conviction that you can't teach what you don't know, so I've taken great care to prove to myself that my clinical expertise and training is validated by the road I've walked before I entered the field. I have a MA in Clinical Counseling from Ashland University, a BA in Theology from Malone University, PT certification from NASM, 12+ years sober, and 3+ years of professional counseling experience.

I understand that at the moment we are strangers. This is your therapy, and I'm here to encourage, teach, and facilitate it. I respect that counseling is unlike most other medical professions in that it requires a specific kind of rapport and professional relationship.

I am rapport first in my focus, because despite my knowledge base, clinical skill, and life experience, counseling only works if you've decided I'm trustworthy and knowledgeable. I engage in clinical areas such as CBT, Mindfulness Training, Distress Tolerance Training, Lifestyle Management, and Narrative-focused Therapy, but try to do so in a way that feels conversational and natural.

I'm told by clients that I'm easy to feel comfortable around, and that they are often surprised by how quickly they offer up the details of what they are struggling with. The biggest compliment I ever received was from my first client, who after seeing me for awhile told me that when they describe me to others, they say, "You know quickly that he is a real and authentic person."

The experience of therapy differs from person to person depending on the dynamics between the therapist and client. To speak generally however, my hope is that if nothing else you feel that you met someone who truly cares, and is willing to be real with you with an eye towards compassion that can motivate you forward.