If you are in crisis, call or text 988·Veterans: press 1 after dialing·Text HOME to 741741
01/Matthew Darst, LCSW · Ladera Ranch, CA

You already know
what you’re avoiding.

Kind accountability. Process and performance. Evidence-based therapy for PTSD, OCD, moral injury, and grief — from a clinician who has been in the arena.

Book a free 15-min consult
LCSW #126410EMDRIA trainedTelehealth CA & FL$225 / 60 min
Matthew Darst, LCSW
Portrait · 4×5
Est. 2024Plate 01 / IV
60 min
Sessions
Focused, unrushed
CA + FL
Telehealth
Licensed in both
7+
Modalities
Evidence-based
15+
Years
Military & clinical
02/The Approach

Kind accountability.
Not gentle passivity.

You do not need someone to nod along while you circle the same ground for six months. You need someone who will sit with you in the hard parts and hold you to the version of yourself you already want to become.

That is kind accountability. Warmth without coddling. Challenge without shame. The belief that you already have what you need — and the honesty to point out where you are getting in your own way.

This practice is built on two ideas: process — what you do every day — and performance — how well you do it. Those are yours. Completely. Outcomes grow when you stop white-knuckling them and start investing in the work.

EMDRERPCBTDBTACTPolyvagal TherapyStoic Philosophy
● New · Interactive Tool

Am I carrying more
than I think I am?

The Stoic Check-In — a five-minute structured self-examination based on the nightly practice Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus kept. Nothing saved, nothing tracked. Just a mirror.

How it works
Preview
Question 03 / 06
What are you avoiding that you already know you need to face?
The conversation I keep rescheduling
── Anonymous · Nothing saved · No account
04/Is This a Fit

Not for everyone. On purpose.

Being honest about fit is clinical integrity, not gatekeeping. This clarity protects your time and mine.

● You will thrive here if
  • You know what needs to change but can't seem to make yourself do it
  • Everything looks fine from the outside but you're exhausted inside
  • You don't need sympathy — you need someone to help you move
  • You're carrying something from your service that won't let go
  • You're goal-oriented and willing to put in the work
  • You're a veteran, first responder, or high-functioning professional
● This may not be the right fit if
  • You want to be validated without being challenged
  • You're looking for someone to fix you without your participation
  • You need crisis-level care or higher levels of treatment
  • You're seeking medication management only — I can refer you
  • You want long open-ended therapy with no defined goals

In crisis? Call or text 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You deserve immediate help.

05/The Philosophy
“The impediment to action advances action.
What stands in the way becomes the way.Marcus Aurelius · Meditations

This practice is grounded in Classical Stoic philosophy — not the pop-culture version that tells you to suppress emotion, but the real tradition: engaging honestly with what you can control, accepting what you cannot, and building a life around what matters most.

More about the approach
Rate
$225
per 60 min
Insurance
Private pay
Superbills for OON
Format
Telehealth
CA & FL, statewide
License
LCSW #126410
California

The first step is the hardest.
Take it.

Free 15-minute phone consultation. No pressure, no commitment — just a conversation about whether this is the right fit.

Book a consultation (949) 805-1831