Over the past eighteen years, I have had the privilege of working with incredible individuals and families who have sought support for different reasons. I love working with adults as well as children, teens and parents in a way that makes them feel empowered, safe and seen. I've dedicated my career to helping others build healthy lifestyles in which they feel truly alive. I believe everyone is unique and deserves highly attuned support when life's struggles present themselves. I consider therapy a powerful outlet to discuss, explore, and discover new aspects of our lives. I understand first-hand what it means to face and overcome adversity which has given me the empathy that my clients deserve from their therapist.
SPECIALIZATIONS
Anxiety
Relationship Coaching
Teen Groups
“I'm very thankful to have found Maria when I did! Working with Maria, I was able to develop skills and strategies to navigate difficult behaviors and other parenting challenges with my kids, as well as make changes to my behavior to be a better parent. I'm much more confident in my parenting and have developed several systems that my children respond to which has made our home a much happier, smoother functioning environment. Maria also helped me develop techniques and strategies to manage my own stress, anxiety and navigate trauma. I found Maria to be very easy to work with and would describe her as a natural healer. She is my first call if/when I need counselling and therapy services for myself or my family. “
- T.B., Sacramento, California
“Working with Maria has been transformative for our family. Her deep understanding, compassionate approach, and practical strategies have helped us navigate our challenges with confidence and hope. Over the years, we've seen significant positive changes in our child. We are profoundly grateful for the guidance and support Maria has provided over the years.”
-K.K., Sacramento, California
“I found Maria in a very fragile time. With her help, I gained more confidence and her approach evolved according to what I was ready for. She challenged me when I needed to be challenged and comforted me when I needed to be comforted. Maria helped me navigate a devastating period of life, providing me with gentle and effective support for anxiety that a doctor attempted to prescribe me medication for. With Maria’s guidance, I was able to get through it without medication. During this period of time I experienced a deep loss and Maria was an anchor for me in a time I wasn’t sure I would survive. Looking back, I’m still not sure how I made it out, or if I could have managed without her help. She was there for me in a powerful way and I am forever grateful. We developed a very close and unique therapeutic relationship and I highly recommend her services for anyone who is looking for an empathetic, kind, and intuitive therapist who will partner with you and accommodate to your changing needs.”
-I.M., Sacramento, California
About Me
I hold a B.S. in Sociology, a B.A. in Spanish from Santa Clara University, M.A. in Education, a California Bilingual Teaching Credential from UC Santa Cruz and M.A. in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley. I am a therapist, trainer, speaker and relationship coach. I specialize in adult, teen and child anxiety, as well as parent support and coaching. I also provide in-person therapy groups for grief and anxiety. I provide women’s relationship coaching groups both in-person and virtually which allow for attachment style rewiring. I was raised in a bilingual, bicultural family in South Sacramento and provide services in Spanish.
Prior to becoming a licensed therapist, I worked as a middle school and high school teacher and later as a school counselor. I designed and facilitated schoolwide training programs on emotional regulation on school campuses in Oakley and Antelope. I created schoolwide mindfulness programs, empowering students to access mindfulness as a way to rewire their brain. (To learn more, click on this podcast-The Live Your Wellness Podcast: 9. Mindfulness in Schools (libsyn.com) ) I facilitated groups on campuses to treat anxiety, grief, frustration tolerance, self- esteem and social skills. After thirteen years of working on school campuses, I discovered the role I love most, working as a therapist.
I have an office in Land Park, Sacramento and I provide walk-and-talk therapy on hiking trails in Nevada City. My ten-pound furry assistant Meeji is hypoallergenic and is great with all ages. For those with a dog allergy or not comfortable with dogs, she stays in her kennel for the duration of the session.