Yvette Mendoza, LPCC, M.Ed
Hi there and welcome to Mind Trek Counseling! I’m Yvette. I’m a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with eight years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. I offer a therapy space that is warm, inclusive, affirming, and culturally responsive. My goal is to help clients feel safe enough to be honest, supported enough to grow, and empowered enough to move toward healing in a way that fits their real life.
I may be a good fit for you if you are:
feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally drained
dealing with depression or difficulty coping
struggling with ADHD, focus, or follow-through
carrying grief, trauma, or painful past experiences
navigating pregnancy, postpartum, or perinatal challenges
working in a high-stress helping profession such as medicine or healthcare
looking for a therapist who is affirming, culturally responsive, and nonjudgmental
Communities I Intentionally Welcome
I intentionally create a therapy space that is safe, affirming, and culturally responsive for BIPOC clients, immigrants, undocumented individuals, activists, justice-involved and justice-impacted people, returning citizens, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. I recognize that many people are navigating not only personal pain, but also the effects of trauma, exclusion, discrimination, chronic stress, and systems that may feel unsafe or dehumanizing. In our work together, you do not have to downplay your identity or your lived experience in order to be understood. I am committed to offering affirming care for clients across diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.
What therapy with me is like
I believe therapy should feel like a place where you can exhale. My approach is grounded in compassion, respect, and curiosity. I work with clients to build emotional awareness, practical coping tools, resilience, and a deeper understanding of themselves.
Whether you are working through trauma, managing anxiety or depression, adjusting to a new season of life, or trying to feel more stable day to day, I want therapy to feel supportive, useful, and meaningful.
My approach
My work is informed by CBT, DBT, TF-CBT, Executive Functioning Coaching, Motivational Interviewing, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Narrative Therapy, depending on each client’s needs and goals.
I tailor therapy to the individual, because healing is not one-size-fits-all.
My background
I earned a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in Conflict Management, Mediation, and Negotiation from Kent State University.
My professional experience includes community-based services, residential treatment, private practice, corrections, reentry work, and work alongside healthcare professionals in medical settings. I have provided mental health services in a range of settings and with people from many different backgrounds and life experiences. That work has strengthened my commitment to meeting people with openness, dignity, and care.
My Specialties include:
Trauma-informed care
Trauma can affect how you feel, think, relate to others, and move through daily life. I provide a supportive space to process painful experiences, build coping skills, and move toward healing at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
ADHD, Anxiety, and depression
Anxiety, depression, and ADHD can make it hard to function, connect, rest, or feel like yourself. I help clients understand their patterns, develop tools for coping, and work toward greater emotional stability, self-awareness, and self-compassion.
Perinatal mental health
I also have a growing focus on perinatal mental health. I believe early relationships matter deeply, and the emotional well-being of a parent or primary caregiver can have a lasting impact on a child’s sense of safety, attachment, and lifelong mental wellness. Supporting caregivers is one meaningful way to support the health of the next generation.
Culturally responsive and affirming care
I believe mental health care should honor the whole person. That includes identity, culture, family experiences, community context, and the systems that shape daily life. I strive to provide care that is respectful, affirming, and responsive to each client’s lived experience.
Healthcare professionals and medical trainees
I also have six years of experience working closely with healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and medical trainees. I understand the stress, burnout, emotional pressure, and identity strain that can come with caring for others in demanding environments, and I provide a space where helpers can also receive support.
A little more about me
As someone who identifies as Mexican American and Native American, I value the importance of culturally responsive care and welcome clients who want a therapist who understands that identity and lived experience matter in the healing process. I am also a strong ally to the LGBTQIA+ community. As the mother of a child who is part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I have seen how deeply the coming out process can affect mental health, identity development, family relationships, and a person’s sense of safety and belonging. I strive to create a space where clients feel affirmed, supported, and free to explore who they are without judgment.
Moving toward healing
If you are looking for a therapist who will meet you with compassion, honesty, and respect, I would be honored to work with you. Therapy can be a place to build insight, strengthen coping, and create meaningful change one step at a time.