Zoe Gerlach, MA MFT

I am so grateful to have Zoe in my life~ Her clarity and ability to get strait to the core issue is a gift that she has shared with me over the years.
Of course we all have our blind spots; using Zoe as a sounding board has helped me in discerning what is my «story», versus what is the fundamental root cause of my issues in my relationships, particularly in my marriage. Both my husband and I have grown and have learned so much about ourselves and about our couple as a result of our time spent with Zoe.
Her wisdom, compassion and fun-​loving sense of humor make her a remarkable therapist. If you feel stuck in a particular area of your life and you are ready to do the work, I would (and have) highly recommend working with Zoe. You will not regret it!

My partner and I started seeing Zoe for couples counseling a few months ago. Zoe has been tremendously helpful to us as a couple and to me personally. I’ve found her to be very compassionate and insightful. The fresh perspectives that she’s offered me have been immediately practical in my everyday life. She’s also been flexible and responsive to our needs as far as scheduling.
Not every therapist is right for every client, but Zoe really clicked for us. I’d definitely recommend her to others.

I see Zoe for Enneagram consulting in learning about myself and failed relationships. She is very insightful, compassionate and intelligent. I felt safe and cared for in opening up and being vulnerable. I learned a great deal about relationships and specifically my obstacles in intimacy. Currently I am enjoying a healthy relationship… thank you Zoe.

I started seeing Zoe a few months ago via Skype. I’ve seen a few different people over the years, but Zoe is the first therapist to get «it.» She is honest, smart, intuitive and easy to open up to. But most importantly, she understands the why behind our behaviors. Because of that, she is able to help me work on my issues and become a happier, healthier person.
Also, a really nice feature of Zoe’s practice is that she offers Skype sessions. As I live in LA, this was a must. But, what I’ve found is that even if I lived in Northern CA, I would still opt for Skype sessions. They provide flexibility and convenience, two things that are hugely important to me as a working mom.
I would (and have) recommend (ed) Zoe to anyone seeking a therapist.

After reading her response, I feel Zoe may well be in need of counseling. Her response is quite different from the private message she sent me, in which she states:
«I have been struggling with some health issues and have moved in with my partner in Redwood City so I could reduce my client load. I am only in Santa Cruz 2 days a week. I do Skype sessions because of my limited office hours and my energy level with my health. I have not been able to get back to inquiries as quickly as I would like due to doctor’s appts and managing my health. I wanted to ask if you would consider removing your Unilocal review?»
Sorry Zoe, but I hope you get the help you need, and until then I strongly encourage you to set your practice aside.
Update — Zoe complained to Unilocal in another attempt to have my review removed, than deleted her contradictory response.
Update #2 — Ms Gerlach seems a bit obsessed with my review. Her current response is the third one she has written, the second today alone, the others she deleted. To set the record straight once more: I never claimed we had professional interactions beyond my two attempts to contact her, and her abbreviated, somewhat tardy response, and offer to Skype, which I declined. I did feel that this interaction was less than satisfactory, and worthy to warn others about, so I wrote my initial review. As to the «Sensitive, private email» she sent me through Unilocal,asking me to remove my review, I only posted that after her first response in which she spun our interactions in what I would consider a less than accurate manner. The only way I had to disprove her allegations was to post the message she had sent me, which refuted her claims in her own words. There was never any agreement that this message was in anyway private, and I think the fact that she is actively trying to have negative reviews removed speaks volumes about her. If she truly appreciates all feedback, why has she worked so hard to A– Get my review removed, and B– repudiate my simple and honest first review. Are these the qualities you are looking for in a Councilor? Perhaps there are other reviews she has been able to have removed.

She started to doze off while we were in a session. That was the last straw for me. Disorganized about scheduling with a tendency to double schedule.

I was recently struggling with a big loss and decided to seek help. After searching the web and reading reviews I called and left a message for Zoe and did not get a call back. I left two additional messages over the next two week with the same result. Even if perhaps she is not taking new patients it would have been nice to receive a call back. I was very disappointed.

I spent a significant amount of time trying different therapists before I found the one that I clicked with… and it was Zoe. I spent the next year working with her as she helped guide me through some of the most significant changes of my life. Her style is supportive, comfortable and dis-​arming, but it’s also very analytical. She really offers concrete examples of the science behind the philosophy. I was also very thankful for her ability to stay with me as my life and needs changed. She kept me balanced and focused, and I can honestly say that I would not be as successful in my life today, were it not for her help. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Zoe Gerlach is the absolute best therapist I have ever worked with. She gave me the tools to get through some of the most significant changes and challenges in my life — a divorce, a move across the country, a career change and more. She was always super engaged and our sessions were interactive. She didn’t just sit there and nod her head while I did all of the talking. She suggested very relevant articles and books supplemental to our sessions. We got to the root of my struggles pretty quickly and worked from the ground up. I would not be in the great place that I am today had I not found Zoe. She was also very accommodating to my schedule and would work me in if I needed a last minute appointment. There truly is not a better therapist out there. I know that anyone who sees her will be as happy with their results as I am with mine. I cannot recommend her enough!

If you are looking for a counselor — even if you just think it might be helpful, just go to Zoe! She is a very talented counselor/​therapist who delivers some startling insights and much-​needed clarity based on skillful observation and conversation.
My husband and I felt that our communication wasn’t all that it could be and after seeing Zoe both together and individually for a short time, we feel that our last year was our best year yet!
We both learned some incredibly helpful things about ourselves and how we interact and have some very, very practical things we can do that have made our marriage much stronger.
Some people feel there is a stigma as a couple to say that you need someone’s help… but the reality is that it is the single best investment you can make. Highly highly recommended!

Very insightful and pragmatic. Zoe uses her knowledge and training to crystalize the issues and provide understanding of human behavior. She seems like a really positive person who wants to help her clients, and she succeeds.
She doesn’t take the approach where the therapist listens while the patient does most of the talking and tries to muddle through and figure things out for themselves. A style which I don’t find helpful. She brings clarity.

I’ve been seeing Zoe for over two years and she’s been a true support in my life. Especially during the most challenging moments, she’s really helped me — and thanks to her, I feel like I have grown a lot and am in a much better place. I’ve become self-​aware which has helped a lot with my confidence level.
If you are looking for someone who will actually give you constructive /​honest feedback — then Zoe is an ideal therapist. I’ve interviewed a number of therapists and no one compares to Zoe!

I few months ago I was looking for a counselor in Santa Cruz, and stumbled across Zoe’s review on Unilocal.After calling and chatting with her, she seemed to understand exactly what I was going through and I made an appointment. I went about 6 times, and can’t even express how much she helped me. I was struggling with a few things in life about finding exactly what I wanted and what was important (regarding what made me happy in a relationship). I was not convinced that I would ever be content with one person, and could not figure out why I was having hesitations regarding commitment, and why I felt so selfish in my relationships. Zoe made me realize so many things, that I cannot begin to put them into writing. I am now finally 100% happy and confident with my situation in life, and feel so lucky to have come across Zoe.

Simply stated, Zoe Gerlach is magic. Personally, Zoe is an extremely talented therapist… insightful, intuitive, thoughtful, and caring. While I could go on all day, about my thoughts about her personally, my opinion reflects the results she affected in my life and relationship with my wife. Both of us being strong personalities, some days the house would seem like a battle field, not a home. In exasperation, we began to be treated by Zoe, knowing that one way or another something had to change. Zoe was able to affect that change and soo much more…
Zoe is able to give you a road map to salvation. Prospective clients should be warned that her therapy will actually work. That if a prospective couple will commit to her treatment for approximately a year, give or take, Zoe will help you achieve a level of happiness that you can’t imagine. While my wife and I began with the goal of being able to exist together without killing each other on a daily basis, we found the ability to truly enjoy and revel in each other’s company on a daily basis.

Multiple reasons exist to become a client of Zoe. For the pragmatists, her theory is multiples cheaper than the alternative, divorce. For the romantic, she’ll be able to strip your relationship down to the core at a level where your truest love resides. Regardless of your reasons, I assure you that you will come out the other end of the rabbit hole a better person, with better relationships across all aspects of your life.

I have been in and out of therapy for ten years. I always found that it relieved a lot of stress in my life but didn’t lead to much change in my behavior or the way that I thought, which I knew were the crux of the problem. I’ve had many good counselors, but Zoe not only helped me identify the roots of whatever was causing problems, she also showed me tangible skills to cope and work through them in the real world outside of her office. Zoe has a unique approach to therapy which helps her relate to the spectrum of different personality types. She tailored my therapy to what I needed as an individual. I would highly recommend Zoe to anyone considering therapy, young, old, married or single. She is kind, professional, and always has her patients’ best interests in mind.

Last year, 3 of the most stellar couples that I know got divorced. Maybe it was a tough year, but my husband and I were about to be Number 4.
My husband and I have been together for 10 years, friends for years before that, and have always loved each other dearly. That doesn’t mean that it was always healthy or deeply satisfying. In that time, we’ve gone through a lot of transitions in life, grown as people, and changed. It’s not always easy to stay together through it all. We had major deal-​breakers that we could no longer live with, ignore, enable. Some days we were like two boxers in the center of the ring going round-​for-​round, other days we’d reside in our own separate corners. The relationship had broken down.
It’s humbling to admit I needed counseling because I consider myself a strong, independent individual. However, I also feel a deep obligation to direct others to Zoe to get the help they need. She guided us in removing unhealthy thoughts, unproductive habits, our lack in communication skills, and projections that we had towards each other. We brought unresolved issues into the relationship that we didn’t even know were affecting us today. Learning methods (actual exercises) to resolve and release the issues helped improve our relationship. I now better understand and accept myself & my husband for who we fundamentally are. (She also provided individual life coaching and career counseling as it’s all intertwined in creating true contentment!)
Zoe is an amazing couple’s counselor that I credit with helping my husband and I save our marriage. I’m in a very satisfying relationship that is stronger and happier than it’s been in a long time. Heck, I’M happier than I’ve been in a long time! :) With gratitude, I often think, «Thank you… thank you for directing us to the right person when we needed her most!!!» If only all couples (or individuals) in crisis were as lucky to find such an enlightened individual to help them thru it all.
Working with Zoe can change your life. BUT… BUT, only if you go in with an open-​mind, you are dedicated, and you are PRESENT. She gives guidance. YOU still gotta do the work.