Alayna Mastrippolito, LPC, MA
Hi! My name is Alayna, and welcome to Mind Trek Counseling! I’m a mental health counselor with extensive experience supporting teens and young adults from all walks of life, including members of the LGBTQIA+ community and individuals navigating ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). My specialties include helping people work through anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem challenges, body image concerns, and major life transitions.
Growing up and figuring out who you are isn’t easy. The developmental years (yes, even well into your 20s!) are often marked by constant shifts in academics, identity, friendships, and personal goals. It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed. That’s where therapy can be powerful—a judgment-free, supportive space to process your experiences and emotions, even if you don’t feel like you “need” therapy.
A bit more about me,
I hold a bachelor’s degree in Interpersonal Communication and a master’s in Counseling Psychology. When I’m not in session, you can find me hanging out with my cat, practicing yoga, or dancing around (not well!). I’m endlessly curious about the human experience and consistently dive into research to grow as a therapist and deepen my understanding of the art of coping.
It’s an incredible privilege to be trusted with the most vulnerable parts of someone’s life—and I never take that lightly.
What working with me looks like:
I take a person-centered, collaborative approach to therapy, emphasizing self-acceptance and the recognition of your inherent strengths. I also offer practical tools, frequently drawing from evidence-based modalities like DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) and RO-DBT (Radically Open DBT) to help you build emotional resilience, navigate relationships, and manage stress effectively.
Therapy can be intimidating—getting vulnerable, diving into self-exploration, and breaking old patterns is hard work. That’s why I strive to create a warm, non-judgmental space where you can be authentically yourself. I honor and deeply respect people’s differences, life paths, and the courage it takes to show up and do the work.
Our sessions are a team effort. You bring your story, your wisdom, and your goals—I bring compassionate guidance and a few gentle (but sometimes challenging!) nudges along the way. Together, we’ll explore what’s holding you back and co-create sustainable solutions that help you live a more aligned, fulfilling life.
Get in Touch with Alayna
My top three specialties are Anxiety, Neurodivergence, LGBTQIA+, RO-DBT, and Self-esteem.
Anxiety
Anxiety isn’t just "worrying too much"—it’s your body and mind stuck in overdrive, scanning for threats even when you know you’re safe. You might be the friend who plans for every possible disaster, the professional who triple-checks work to avoid mistakes, or the person who lies awake replaying conversations. Anxiety can make you feel trapped in your own mind, exhausted by the effort of keeping it all under control.
Therapy isn’t about eliminating anxiety completely (it’s a normal human response!), but about changing your relationship with it. We’ll explore how anxiety shows up for you—physically, emotionally, and in your behaviors—and develop strategies to quiet the noise. This might include mindfulness to ground you in the present, challenging the stories your brain tells you, and gradually facing fears in a way that feels manageable. Over time, you can learn to trust yourself more and spend less energy battling invisible threats.
ADHD/Autism Spectrum (neurodivergence)
Neurodivergence means your brain doesn’t follow the "standard" operating manual—and that’s not a flaw, even if the world treats it like one. Maybe you’ve been called "too much" or "too sensitive," or you’ve spent years trying (and failing) to fit into systems that weren’t built for you. Executive dysfunction, sensory overload, social burnout, or feeling out of sync with others can leave you frustrated and drained.
Therapy here isn’t about forcing you into a neurotypical mold. It’s about helping you unlearn the shame that comes with being different and finding ways to thrive as you are. We might work on:
Identifying your unique sensory/emotional needs and advocating for them
Building systems that actually work for your brain (not the other way around)
Navigating relationships without masking or people-pleasing
Grieving missed diagnoses or late realizations about your identity
This is a space where "weird" is welcome, stimming is encouraged, and your version of "normal" is enough.
LGBTQIA+
Being queer in a straight world, trans in a cis world, or anything outside the "default" can be exhausting—even when you’re proud of who you are. You might carry the weight of coming out (again and again), fear rejection from loved ones, or feel pressure to explain or justify your identity. Internalized messages from society, religion, or family can linger like shadows, even in affirming spaces.
This isn’t therapy to "fix" you. It’s therapy to:
Heal from discrimination, invalidation, or trauma
Explore identity at your own pace (no labels required)
Navigate relationships, dating, or family dynamics
Celebrate queer joy and resilience
Whether you’re questioning, newly out, or decades into your journey, this is a no-judgment zone where your identity is the starting point—not the problem.
RO-DBT
You might be someone who’s highly conscientious, self-disciplined, and seen by others as successful or "put-together." But on the inside, you may feel isolated, rigid, or emotionally exhausted. You might struggle with perfectionism, chronic self-doubt, or feel like you can’t quite connect deeply with others.
RO-DBT is a specialized therapy designed to address overcontrol—the tendency to prioritize control and structure at the expense of flexibility and emotional openness. This approach can help you balance your strengths with greater ease, spontaneity, and connection. Together, we’ll work on loosening the grip of unrealistic expectations, increasing self-compassion, and learning how to respond to life in more flexible, authentic ways.
Self-esteem
That voice in your head that says, "You’re not good enough"? It’s loud, persistent, and wrong. But when you’ve heard it for years—maybe from critical parents, bullying, or societal pressures—it can feel like the truth. You might dismiss compliments, avoid risks to dodge failure, or feel like an imposter even when you succeed.
Building self-esteem isn’t about arrogance or pretending to love every part of yourself overnight. It’s about:
Noticing how your inner critic warps reality (and learning to talk back)
Practicing self-compassion, especially when you "mess up"
Setting boundaries without guilt
Taking up space unapologetically
We’ll dig into where these beliefs came from and slowly replace them with something kinder. Imagine feeling at home in yourself—not because you’re perfect, but because you’re yours.