Juan Luis Bottía
MS, NCC, LAPC | Therapist
he / him
I’m a neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+, and open relationship/ethical non-monogamy affirming therapist who believes meaningful change happens within safe, trusting relationships. My path to counseling grew from 12 years of working in education, where I saw how connection, belonging, and emotional safety create space for transformation.
Working in the U.S., Egypt, and the Dominican Republic—and practicing in both English and Spanish—taught me how deeply culture, identity, and belonging shape mental health.
Those experiences continue to guide how I show up: creating a culturally responsive, trauma-informed space where you can feel seen, heard, and valued exactly as you are.
What fuels me most is witnessing clients move through individuation—integrating their values, needs, and identities—and realizing their self-worth. I love walking alongside people as they begin living with greater authenticity, connection, and self-compassion.
My work is grounded in equity, cultural humility, and trauma-informed, strengths-based care. I honor autonomy through collaborative, consent-based planning, clear goals, and transparent feedback. You can expect authenticity, unconditional positive regard, and a nonjudgmental, bilingual space where all identities are respected.
In session, I’m warm, thoughtful, and direct. I won’t offer quick fixes—but I will help you slow down, notice patterns, and make changes that fit your life. We’ll set clear goals, check progress together, and adjust as needed. My goal is for you to feel empowered, supported, and safe as we work toward growth, balance, and a deeper sense of self-worth.
Together, we’ll work toward helping you reconnect with your voice, your values, and your sense of belonging—because you deserve to live a life that feels like your own. No matter your story, your background, or your identities, you deserve care that affirms who you are and who you’re becoming.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN
English
Spanish
THERAPY APPROACHES
Psychodynamic
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Motivational Interviewing
Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
IN THE THERAPY ROOM
Empowering
Holistic
Exploratory
Culturally-Responsive
Flexible
YOU CAN FIND ME
You can find me playing with my two kids, spending quality time with my wife, speaking with my lovely mother, catching up with friends, and getting in a workout whenever I can.
I’M ALL ABOUT
I'm ALL about deep friendships, quality family time, honest conversations, and meaningful growth.
Clinician Details
-
In progress:
Highmark BCBS
Aetna
Geisinger
UPMC
-
$115
-
Telehealth
-
Individual Therapy
-
Preteens / Tweens (11-13)
Adolescents / Teens (14-18)
Adults (18+)
Specialties
-
When anxiety or panic takes over, I’ll meet you with calm curiosity and zero judgment. We’ll honor your culture, history, and identities while gently challenging the fears and patterns that keep anxiety in control. Together, we’ll map what your anxiety looks and feels like, reduce the fear of symptoms, and build practical skills you can use anywhere.
I draw from multiple approaches—Motivational Interviewing to work with avoidance or ambivalence, CBT and REBT to challenge catastrophic thoughts, and DBT skills like mindfulness, grounding, and distress tolerance to help you ride the waves instead of fighting them. When it feels right and at your pace, we can use gradual, values-guided exposure work to help you reclaim sensations, situations, and confidence that anxiety once stole.
From a psychodynamic perspective, we’ll also explore how anxiety connects to relationships, identity, and life stressors. We’ll set collaborative goals, track progress together, and integrate the supports that feel right for you. My goal is for you to feel safe, informed, and empowered—knowing you have real tools and understanding to navigate whatever comes next.
-
When we work on self-esteem and self-worth, I show up with curiosity, warmth, and calm—honoring your history, culture, and identities while offering gentle challenges and practical tools. I view self-worth as something shaped by our relationships, the messages we’ve internalized, and the systems around us. Together, we’ll begin to untangle those stories and build a more grounded, compassionate sense of self.
My approach integrates psychodynamic insight with evidence-based tools. I often use Motivational Interviewing to strengthen motivation, Solution-Focused strategies to highlight what’s already working, REBT and CBT to help reframe the inner critic, and DBT skills to support mindfulness, emotional regulation, and boundaries.
Our work will be collaborative and transparent—we’ll set clear goals, clarify your values, identify your strengths, and regularly check in on progress. My goal is to help you see yourself with more honesty, compassion, and confidence—and to know, deeply, that your worth has never been up for debate.
-
When facing addiction or compulsive behaviors, you can expect me to show up calm, nonjudgmental, and culturally attuned. Together, we’ll explore your habit loop—looking at triggers, thoughts, urges, actions, and the aftermath—to understand what keeps these patterns in place. Our work will focus on reducing shame, increasing self-compassion, and building practical, sustainable tools for change.
I draw from a variety of approaches: Motivational Interviewing to navigate ambivalence, Solution-Focused strategies to amplify what’s already helping, CBT and REBT to challenge beliefs that fuel urges, and DBT skills for mindfulness, boundaries, distress tolerance, and craving management. From a psychodynamic perspective, we’ll also look at how these behaviors may function in coping, identity, and relationships.
My approach is harm-reduction and trauma-informed, always centered around your autonomy and goals. We’ll set clear intentions, track progress, and include the supports that feel right for you—whether that’s partners, family (from a Gottman-informed approach), or community resources.
Above all, this is a space where growth replaces shame, and where your story is met with understanding, not judgment.
