Meet Andrew Mocete, MS, LMFT

Everyone has their own unique story to tell and I am no different. Before I found my passion in becoming a therapist, like so many others, I felt I was missing that spark that starts a fire in your soul. Despite having a good career and a loving family, something was missing I could not quite put my finger on. My love of learning eventually led me to the mental health profession. Discovering how therapists help clients achieve their goals spoke to me on a personal level. For the first time in a long while, doors opened to the possibility of using my skills and life experiences to help others find their way while giving me the passion I sought after.

I have spent the majority of my life working in healthcare. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences and worked in several laboratories where I provided test results for doctors all over my community. Every day I left work feeling like my efforts were playing a part in improving a person’s health. Pursuing a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy was my way to take my love of helping others to the next level.

My primary goal as a therapist is to help guide my clients and act as a soundboard while they unbox their experiences and emotions to create goals. Among other things, this process can feel overwhelming. But there is absolutely no shame in asking for help. Matter of fact, it is quite the opposite. It takes an abundant amount of personal strength to talk about the intimate parts of your life and the emotional toll it has on you with a stranger. Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back for your resourcefulness in seeking help and making the commitment in taking the first step toward new possibilities.

In my personal life, I tend to be the person friends and family gravitate towards when they are looking for someone to talk to. I have been referred to as a “calming influence,” because my overall presence, tone of voice, and mannerisms seem to act as a conduit for whatever type of conversation or emotion the person wants to express. Through these interactions, I have seen the power of feeling truly heard without judgment. That type of validation is an essential building block for relationships and is how I relate to my clients.

In addition to my academic studies, I participated in a yearlong clinical internship at a private practice. Much of the clientele were young children, but I also gained experience working with teens, adults, couples, and families. With such varied interactions, I became confident working with any type of concern or issue my clients were interested in talking about. I was also fortunate in that my internship supervisor was a Registered Play Therapist. She guided me through the principles and techniques of Play Therapy, which used games and other activities to facilitate communication with children.

You will find that my approach is not to talk “at” you, but to work with you every step of the way toward the goals that are most important to you. Maybe you are not sure what your goals are. That is okay. Like many of us, myself included, we may know we would like something to change, but the picture of how that would happen may be not clear. We will work on it together to uncover them at a pace that is most comfortable for you.

Another aspect of my approach is the underlying belief that our emotions are intertwined with our behaviors. The impact of those factors is often very helpful in understanding how our lives and interactions with others are affected. You could imagine this as a way of healing from the inside out. What message is my body sending to me? How do I understand what it is trying to tell me? Overall, my approach combines your life story and my training in a unique partnership that is flexible and capable of evolving as your goals do.

Besides my career as a therapist, I enjoy quality time with my family and friends, reading, mindfulness meditation, exercising, watching movies, video games, and stretching my creativity muscles whenever I can. In particular, I love playing and writing music as well as writing fiction. A blank page contains limitless possibilities and it is exciting to discover what kind of music or story will flow through my fingertips.

My career as a therapist combines two passions I am looking forward to utilizing to help others: science and creative discovery. Together we will become a powerful team that will enable you to uncover the path you will use to achieve your goals.

SCHEDULE A FREE PHONE CONSULTATION WITH Andrew

If you’re interested in anxiety therapy, depression counseling, family counseling, teen counseling or child counseling in Cary, NC, please call our office manager at 919-268-2182 for a free 15-minute phone consultation. We are happy to answer any questions you have about our practice or how counseling can address your needs.

Andrew Mocete is a NC Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). He provides counseling services to families and individual children, teens, and adults in Cary, North Carolina. He holds a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University and a Bachelor's degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences from Stonybrook University. Andrew received training in Play Therapy techniques from a Registered Play Therapist during his internship. He is a proud member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and North Carolina Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (NCAMFT).