Maria Ward

Collaborative therapist focusing on practical growth

LMFT California

Experience: 13 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Anger
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English, Spanish

About Maria

Maria Ward brings 13 years of clinical experience to her California practice and works in both English and Spanish.

Background and approach

She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, mood challenges, trauma and abuse, addictions, and relationship issues, and she also addresses concerns such as parenting struggles, grief, intimacy-related problems, self-esteem, and career transitions.

Maria emphasizes clients' strengths and treats each person as an expert in their own life while offering tools and collaborative support to move through difficult moments. Her work draws on several evidence-informed approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside acceptance-based and attachment-oriented perspectives.

Maria aims to tailor strategies to each client's needs, teaching practical skills for emotion regulation, communication, and coping with life changes. She frames the start of therapy as a courageous first step and seeks to provide ongoing support, active listening, and guidance as clients pursue their goals.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Maria combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to offer both practical skills and values-based work. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and developing concrete coping strategies for issues like anxiety, depression, and stress. ACT emphasizes noticing difficult internal experiences while committing to actions that align with personal values, which can be helpful for grief, life transitions, and chronic emotional pain.

Maria also uses attachment-informed ideas to explore relational patterns and improve communication and emotional connection, which can be useful for relationship and family concerns. She approaches treatment collaboratively, working with clients to determine which blend of methods best fits their needs, goals, and preferences rather than prescribing a single path from the outset.

Online therapy with Maria is available through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to access consistent care from home or while traveling and allow for varied ways of practicing skills between sessions. Licensed professionals can adapt these approaches effectively in remote formats to support progress over time.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?

Maria works with a range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, addictions, relationship and family problems, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating concerns, parenting challenges, self-esteem, career matters, bipolar mood concerns, and coping with life changes.

What therapeutic style can I expect in sessions?

Her approach is collaborative and skills-oriented, blending Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with acceptance and attachment-informed techniques to build practical tools and improve emotional awareness and communication.

How long has she been practicing?

She has 13 years of professional experience working with diverse clinical concerns and developing practical interventions to support clients in achieving their goals.

What are her credentials and where is she licensed?

She holds the LMFT credential and is licensed in California as CA LMFT 98143.

Does she work in other languages or with international clients?

She provides services in English and Spanish and accepts international clients.

Which session formats are available?

Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.

How are fees and subscriptions handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What do I need to do to begin therapy?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule appointments based on the therapist's stated availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuseAnger managementDepression

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changes Compassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyGottman MethodJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

13+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English, Spanish