Matthew Darst, LCSW
State Licensed:
California
Languages:
English
Hi, I'm Matt. I came to this work through lived experience, and I genuinely respect the path that has led
you here. I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and before this I spent close to two decades on active
duty-a background that shapes how I show up: steady, direct, and without judgment. Most of my work is
with adults carrying trauma, anxiety, and depression, often the kind that has quietly shaped how they
move through the world for a long time. For some, substances have become part of how they cope.
That's human-coping is survival, and it's common for these things to creep in. We can look at it together,
without judgment, and you decide whether it fits the life you want or works against it. Whoever you are
and whatever brought you here-veteran, first responder, or simply someone ready for something to
change-my job is to help you find your footing and move forward. You don't have to have it all figured
out to begin.
My Approach
I use evidence-based approaches and adapt them to you, rather than the other way around. CBT is the
through-line in my work-it is an entry point to the thoughts and patterns that keep you stuck, especially
with anxiety and depression-and it gives our sessions structure and consistency. From there, I draw on
ACT and DBT for grounding and skills, and on polyvagal-informed work to help your nervous system find
a calmer, safer baseline. For trauma, I'm experienced in Cognitive Processing Therapy and EMDR-
informed in my approach, and I use Exposure and ERP therapy to help you lean into difficulty, moving
safely through discomfort toward freedom. When substance use is part of the picture, I fold in
Motivational Interviewing and a co-occurring lens, so we treat the whole person rather than sorting
symptoms into separate boxes. I lean on these methods because they're practical, they're proven, and
they hand you tools you can use well beyond our sessions.
My Focus
Many of the people I see have built their lives around putting others first: veterans, service members, military leaders, healthcare professionals, first responders, parents, and caregivers who love and lead fiercely. Duty to service and devotion to others has a cost. Slowly, they pour themselves out until their own wellbeing is the last thing left on the list. Overwhelm tends to arrive when our coping skills and support structures can no longer meet the wave in front of us. When the healthy ways of coping are maxed out or run dry, less healthy ones step in-alcohol, escape, and distraction start to feel like survival
We can address that too. What my clients share is a decision: not to be defined by their challenges or stuck inside them, but to turn toward difficulty and move through it-reengaging with life and shifting from merely getting through it to actually living it. My aim is to offer real relief now while building skills and insight that last, walking with my clients wherever their path leads.
My Communication
Style
I'm direct, authentic, and honest. I don't dance around things-I'll name what I'm seeing, but always with respect and and purpose. The way I communicate is grounded in what I call kind accountability: naming hard truths without fear, malice, or condemnation. Accountability doesn't have to sting-it's an opportunity to learn, to offer a changed response, and to grow in connection with self and others. The accountability is yours to approach, filter, and accept. My part is to stand with you as you turn toward what you've been avoiding-to move through it, carry forward the lesson rather than the weight, and grow. My experience in life and in session is that if you want to find your truth, you have to get honest with yourself. Not everyone can do this, and almost no one will, in isolation or without support. Therapy is collaborative-we check in on what's working and what isn't, and we adjust. Your goals set the direction and I'll be candid with you the whole way there.
My Journey
I spent close to eighteen years in the Navy, separating from the Special Operations Community after a career of service that took me around the world. Along the way I saw how much weight people carry quietly, and how much human connection can lighten that burden. I understand how deeply trauma can shape the way we see and feel the world long after. That understanding drew me toward this work. I earned my Master of Social Work at USC with a focus on military and veteran mental health, and I've built my clinical career in behavioral health, treating trauma, anxiety, and depression alongside the co-occurring struggles that so often travel with them
.
Our communities are made vibrant by many cultures and identities. Early in my career, I was challenged to educate myself-to understand cultural values and lived experience, the barriers that can stand in the way of care, and the means of establishing and maintaining safety. I took that to heart: the responsibility to learn belongs to the clinician, not the client. I remain committed to doing the work, to being prepared
to serve, and to holding a safe space for every client who sits with me.
I know what it takes to start over, and I do not take for granted the trust it takes to sit across from someone and ask for help. And I know this can be where you begin again.
Therapy Types
& Methods
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Trauma-Focused / Trauma-Informed
EMDR-Informed (EMDRIA-Trained)
Exposure Therapy
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Motivational Interviewing
Solution-Focused
Strength-Based
Client-Centered
Polyvagal-Informed
Psychoeducation & Family Support
Focus Areas
Trauma & PTSD
Anxiety
Depression
Grief & Loss
Moral Injury
Substance Use & Co-Occurring Disorders
Suicidal Ideation & Crisis
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Veterans & Military
First RespondersMen's Mental HealthLGBTQIA+Life TransitionsStress & BurnoutSerious Mental Illness (SMI)
Education
Master of Social Work: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA B.A., Psychology and Naval
Science: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
License
CA: LCSW #126410
FL: Telehealth Provider Registration #TPSW5892