Steven is the founder and owner of Montesinos Counseling Services. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (MH10873) in Florida and a member of the American Counseling Association, a professional association committed to promoting ethical standards in mental healthcare practice.

Steven has been passionate about mental health for over 20 years. His journey began in college, where he decided to pursue this interest as a career, graduating from the University of North Florida with a degree in Counseling Psychology. Throughout his career, Steven has worked with clients of various ages, genders, sexual orientations, faiths, education levels, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. He has provided psychotherapy and counseling in diverse settings, such as personal and career counseling centers and a residential alcohol and drug treatment center. He also has experience working with different populations and groups, including adults, young adults, college students, athletes, multicultural groups, individuals in recovery from alcohol/drug dependence, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Steven uses an integrative psychotherapeutic approach that combines cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), relational therapy (RT), internal family systems (IFS), exposure response prevention (ERP), accelerated resolution therapy (ART), psychodynamic therapy, person-centered, interpersonal process, and solution-focused therapies. He specializes in working with individuals from 13 years old and up who are dealing with anxiety, self-esteem issues, trauma, depression, OCD, phobias, and general life challenges. Additionally, Steven works with people who struggle with their own empathy and emotional sensitivity, helping them understand how these traits impact their relationships and their ability to cope with life experiences.

Steven prioritizes building strong, trusting relationships with his clients and is dedicated to creating an accepting and welcoming environment where clients feel genuinely valued, respected, cared for, and supported. He focuses on helping clients identify the sources of their issues, gain insight into what is holding them back, heal from pain and suffering that is preventing growth, and adjust their thoughts to see life from different perspectives. His approach to therapy is a collaborative journey where he co-authors the experience with his clients. Steven focuses on helping clients become comfortable in the therapeutic environment, understand their feelings, and learn new ways to manage them. His goal is to provide a corrective and positive emotional experience, especially compared to past relationships. His core values of empathy, acceptance, compassion, respect, and integrity guide his practice, ensuring that each client receives personalized and responsive care.

In addition to his clinical work, Steven has received advanced training in accelerated resolution therapy (ART), an evidence-based psychotherapeutic technique that helps heal individuals dealing with PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, grief/loss, and abuse-related issues (emotional, physical, sexual, etc.). He also serves as a part-time college instructor for the Department of Psychology at the University of North Florida and has experience as a clinical supervisor for master's and doctoral-level therapists.

Steven believes that his life experiences, both positive and negative, have played a significant role in shaping his therapeutic approaches. He has faced several challenges throughout his life, including being the youngest child in a large family, financial pressures, working in the retail and higher education sectors, and caring for family members with special needs, disabilities, poor health, and addictions. Being part of a multicultural family system, navigating the college experience, making career changes, and dealing with various other stressors has given him a unique perspective on life. As a husband and father, Steven has also experienced the joys and challenges of marriage and parenting.

As a long-time resident of Northeast Florida, Steven and his family consider Jacksonville and the surrounding areas their home. He looks forward to giving back to and supporting this community.