Marika Yakumithis
Registered Associate Marriage + Family Therapist # 138076 and Associate Professional Clinical Counselor # 13481

Supervised by Nicole Desamparo, LMFT #48275

Individual Therapy
Child + Adolescent Therapy
Family Therapy

Benicia Office

• Grief & Loss 

• Caregivers & Hospice Care

• Family Dynamics & Conflicts

• Anxiety 

• Trauma

• Depression

• Survivors of DV

• Kids & families with behavioral struggles at home & school 

• Body Positivity

• Children of Alcoholics & Adult Children of Alcoholics

• Bullying

• BIPOC allied

• LGBTQ+ allied

• University of San Francisco, Bachelor of Art in Sociology

• Dominican University, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology (MSCP) from Dominican: concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) and Professional Clinical Counselor (PCC).

• California State University, East Bay, Certificate in Pre-Health Sciences

• Certified Nursing Assistant, Inactive

I find fulfillment in supporting individuals and families of varied backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and cultural identities and I look forward to learning more from my clients’ unique experiences while working as a team to understand their unique journeys.

Having most recently worked at a local agency, I have experience working with a variety of ages and mental health conditions. I find working with Bay Area youth particularly meaningful and have cultivated a wide range of expertise in working with preschoolers, adolescents, and teenagers, in both school-based and individual counseling settings. In addition, my work with individuals experiencing severe and persistent mental health challenges has provided me with a wealth of knowledge on symptom management and crisis intervention. Witnessing my clients in their journey is an honor and being able to guide them through some of the most challenging moments is one of the most rewarding experiences to me.

Prior to my work in a community setting, I developed my background in hospice care, working in caregiving before transitioning to bereavement, including grief, anticipatory grief, and mortality. My experience in hospice, from therapeutic support to direct caregiving, has allowed me the opportunity to understand life as a journey and being comfortable discussing one’s mortality.

I see my role as a therapist to help the people I work with realize their inner strength, while creating a nurturing environment that empowers them to grow and achieve their success. My approach comes from a client-centered and trauma-informed viewpoint. I allow my clients to lead based on the amount of structure they desire to bring to the therapeutic relationship. I pull from a variety of modalities including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and strength-based approach. Having worked with different ages and stages in life, I believe each individual relationship is unique and requires many different approaches to receive the greatest therapeutic experience. I enjoy bringing love and an open and compassionate heart to my sessions.

As a Bay Area native, I have a strong connection with the community and an even stronger desire to create a positive and lasting impact. After college, I spent several years working as a Certified Nursing Assistant in hospice and long-term care facilities. I then received my Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Dominican University of California and worked for a hospice agency providing bereavement counseling for clients who had lost a loved one on hospice services. Following graduate school, I worked in a local agency within Marin County, providing services to individuals and families in the school setting as well as community-based counseling.

Having the honor of experiencing a small part of an individual’s life is a privilege for which I am thankful each day. I love being able to help clients identify issues, work through difficulties, and progress through their own unique journeys. It is amazing to see my clients discover their strengths and foster an environment that empowers them to grow and move forward.

Eating with my family and friends, especially when trying new foods, refuels my soul. On most weekends, you could easily find me walking my two dogs out in nature while finding a new yummy place to grab a bite. I enjoy exploring new parks and hiking trails, but my true passion is cooking with my family and friends while enjoying some good music and great conversation.