- Blended family issues
- Trauma informed methods
- English and Spanish
About Maria
Maria Ward is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 13 years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, anger, addictions, relationship and family concerns, and parenting challenges. Sessions are offered in English and Spanish and she accepts international clients.
Maria uses straightforward, action-oriented work to help people manage intense feelings and life shifts. She draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients notice unhelpful patterns and try different ways of responding. She also integrates attachment-informed thinking to look at how past bonds affect present relationships.
Clients who come for parenting or blended family issues can expect practical strategies for communication and boundary work. Maria talks through concrete steps for co-parenting, stepfamily routine changes, and handling loyalty or role tensions. She also addresses grief, body image, and work-related stress when these affect relationships at home.
Her style is collaborative and direct. She helps people set clear goals, practice new skills between sessions, and adjust what isn’t working. Progress is tracked through simple check-ins rather than lengthy theory discussions.
Maria notes experience supporting people with ADHD, bipolar mood shifts, compassion fatigue, and substance-related concerns. She also has background related to abandonment, adoption and foster care, and caregiver stress. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How Maria uses evidence-based approaches online
Maria often uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which focuses on clarifying values and taking committed actions even when difficult thoughts or feelings show up. ACT can help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions by making daily choices more consistent with what matters to the client.She also employs Attachment-Based Therapy ideas to look at how early bonds shape current relationship patterns. This approach can be useful for people dealing with trust issues, intimacy-related concerns, or loyalty tensions that come up in blended households.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Maria will collaborate with clients to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. She adapts the plan over time based on what helps and what doesn’t, and checks in regularly so sessions stay relevant.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a day, allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight, and reduce travel. Therapists can also switch between approaches across sessions so that practical skills and relationship-focused exploration both get attention.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
13+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, anger, addictions, relationship and family concerns, grief, parenting and many related issues.
How would she approach therapy?
She uses client-centered work with practices from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and attachment-informed approaches to create practical skills and clearer communication.
How much experience does she have?
She has 13 years of professional experience as a therapist in clinical settings and private work.
What credential and location does she hold?
She is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA LMFT) based in California.
In which languages can sessions be held?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Does she work with international clients?
Yes, she accepts international clients.
How are sessions arranged and paid?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.