Dr. Nazeer Zerka II

Dr. Nazeer Zerka II is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, addiction, low self-esteem, and a wide range of life challenges. He emphasizes practical, personal support and uses humor and straightforward talk to make sessions feel human and real. He also focuses on concerns such as ADHD, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, eating and sleeping problems, and compassion fatigue.

With nine years of clinical practice, he blends formal training with his lived experience as a neurodivergent man of color. That perspective shapes how he listens and responds to people. He aims to be direct when needed, encouraging when appropriate, and flexible about goals and pace.

In sessions he leans on client-centered work that follows the person’s priorities, cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and dialectical behavior strategies for emotion regulation and distress tolerance. He also draws on mindfulness and existential ideas to help people find meaning and steadiness.

People often come for help with career stress, bipolar mood concerns, coping with life changes, and recovery from domestic violence or substance problems. He offers coaching-style supports alongside therapy for practical life skills and goal setting.

Outside the office he enjoys basketball, weightlifting, yoga, and lighter hobbies like reading and streaming comedies. He hosts a podcast with a substantial audience that shares his voice and style.

How his approaches shape online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on following the person’s priorities and building a trusting working relationship. It is useful when someone wants a space to be heard and to set their own goals for change.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people spot and test unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors that reinforce problems. It is often used for anxiety, depression, sleep and eating issues, and ADHD-related functioning concerns.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers concrete skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, and improving interpersonal effectiveness. It can help when mood swings, anger, or self-destructive patterns are a problem.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about needs, goals, and preferences and then recommend techniques or a mix of methods. This is a collaborative process that can change as goals evolve.

For practical online therapy questions, confirm the specific session formats before booking since the profile does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions around work and family demands, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when a full in-person visit is impractical. It also lets people use practices like mindfulness or behavioral experiments in everyday settings, which can help transfer skills into daily life.