01 · Who Mario works with

Mario works with stress, Anxiety, family conflicts and trauma and abuse

Mario lists 9 specialisms and 15 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Mario chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Mario's own words

What Mario says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Dealing with difficulties, stressors and life’s challenges can be quite challenging. However, I believe it is something that you don’t have to go through alone. If you are ready to invest in your healing, let's talk about ways in which I can help you. I want to talk to you first about how I work. I work with people who are ready to improve their quality of life and who are highly motivated to create realistic expectations that will help to empower them. I strive to help those who have lost control of their lives and help them gain it back by becoming more attuned with their lives.

Our relationship is one of trust, empathy and a solid building foundation. From there, we work together to build and create realistic goals that will help to improve your growth and build positive changes in your life. It is wonderful when you can be good to yourself. Remember that change comes from within. I look forward to you taking that first step

Mario Palacios, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Mario works

The 1 approach Mario lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Mario lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Mario's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Mario runs a session.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Mario practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Mario's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Mario at this point.

2. Naming Mario specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Mario is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Mario.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Mario

Built from what Mario actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Mario's - Mario has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 25 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

• “You offer sessions in English and Spanish. Does the work change depending on which we use?”

  People often reach different material in a first language than in a second. Worth naming before you choose.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LMFT

Licensed in

California

Licence

CA LMFT 46078

Licence number

46078

Licence expires

31 Oct 2027

NPI

1518090018

Years in practice

25

Gender

Male

Languages

English, Spanish

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

31 Jul 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Mario's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Mario. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.