Zay Mahon, SWI

I have spent the last 4 years meeting 1:1 with clients as a Peer Support Worker focusing on eating disorder, chronic suicidal ideation, as well as sharing my lived experience of being in therapy – all to ensure my clients felt supported and not alone. I am a Certified Body Trust® Specialist, which means I show up for my clients with a body liberation framework in mind. 

I work 1:1 with clients of color and individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community or are exploring their identity. I am passionate about helping people find safety in their bodies regardless of where they fall on the sexuality spectrum. I firmly believe that every body has inherent worth and that we deserve for our bodies to feel like home. Motherhood has even further shaped my experience with my mental health, sexual self, and gender identity and I enjoy being a helpful guide on someone’s rediscovery of themselves in parenthood. 

I mainly use Motivational Interviewing to empower clients to be agents of change in own their lives. In sessions, I keep the focus on my client to help them explore what change looks like for them and how to get their needs met. At times I may introduce DBT and CBT skills after collaborating with my clients on what feels most effective for them. Mostly, my role as a therapist will be to sit alongside clients during the hard parts and celebrate during joyful moments.

I keep social justice values at the forefront of my work and harm reduction heavily informs my practice. 

I am currently studying to receive my master’s degree in Social Work from Rutgers University and am actively seeing clients under supervision.