Sitike Counseling Center

For people in San Mateo County who are ready to commit to recovery without stepping away from their daily lives, Sitike Counseling Center offers two outpatient levels of care: a standard Outpatient Program and an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). The IOP is structured for individuals who need a more intensive clinical experience than weekly counseling provides but who are not seeking residential treatment — a middle ground that suits many people in ongoing recovery.

Central to Sitike's outpatient track is Discover Recovery, the center's dedicated alcohol and drug addiction treatment program. Built around the goal of lasting sobriety rather than short-term stabilization, Discover Recovery reflects Sitike's community-based counseling philosophy and its focus on the cultural and emotional dimensions of each person's recovery experience.

Sitike Counseling Center has built its substance abuse treatment programs to serve populations that are often underserved by standard outpatient rehab. Veterans, pregnant women, young adults between 18 and 25, individuals with HIV/AIDS support needs, Deaf and hard-of-hearing clients, and those entering treatment through court order are all explicitly served here — a breadth of population focus that reflects the center's community mission rather than a narrow clinical niche.

Clinically, Sitike addresses co-occurring disorders and dual diagnosis alongside trauma and PTSD, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a primary therapeutic method. For clients whose primary language is Farsi or Persian, services are available in that language — a meaningful access point for community members who might otherwise face barriers to quality substance abuse treatment in the Bay Area.

Financial concerns should not stand between someone and an outpatient recovery program, and Sitike works to reduce that barrier through its accepted payment options. The center accepts Medicaid and Medicare, extending access to individuals who rely on public insurance, and also accepts self-pay and cash for those without coverage or who prefer to pay directly.

Anyone interested in exploring which payment arrangement fits their situation can reach Sitike directly at (650) 589-9305 or by email at [email protected]. The center's offices are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Recovery from substance use rarely travels alone — trauma, PTSD, and co-occurring mental health conditions are common companions. Sitike Counseling Center formally addresses this reality by treating co-occurring disorders and dual diagnosis as part of its outpatient and IOP programming, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a clinically grounded method for helping clients recognize and shift the thought patterns that sustain addictive behavior.

This integrated approach means that someone entering Sitike's Discover Recovery program is not being treated for substance use in a vacuum. The counseling framework accounts for the emotional and psychological dimensions that often drive and sustain addiction — a model consistent with the center's broader mission of community-based care that meets people where they are, culturally and emotionally.