Get to Know Maria

I earned my Master of Social Work from Arizona State University and have more than 15 years of experience in behavioral health. My background includes community mental health, private practice, clinical supervision, program leadership, and higher education. These experiences have shaped a practical, compassionate approach to therapy that recognizes there is rarely one path that works for everyone.  

I work with adolescents, adults, and couples navigating trauma, anxiety, relationship challenges, grief, life transitions, and other experiences that can leave them feeling overwhelmed or stuck. I welcome clients from a variety of backgrounds and believe therapy should be a place where you can show up as yourself without feeling judged or expected to have everything figured out. 

My approach to therapy blends warmth, directness, and collaboration. I believe understanding why something is happening is important, but I also want therapy to help you make meaningful changes outside of our sessions. Depending on your needs, our work may include processing difficult experiences, identifying patterns, building coping and communication skills, strengthening relationships, and finding practical ways to move forward. 

I draw from evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches based on each client's needs and goals, including:

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills

• Gottman Method Couples Therapy

• Motivational Interviewing

• Mindfulness and strengths-based approaches

Licensed Clinical Social Worker • Arizona & New Mexico 

My goal isn't to tell you how to live your life or expect you to become a different person. It's to help you better understand yourself, work through what's getting in the way, develop tools that fit your life, and feel more confident navigating what comes next.