Maria Ward

Maria Ward is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 13 years of experience. She helps people coping with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, addictions, relationship challenges, grief, and life transitions. She speaks English and Spanish and works with people across California and internationally. Her approach is collaborative and straightforward. She treats each person as the expert on their life and looks for practical steps that fit their situation. Sessions draw on methods like cognitive behavioral techniques, emotion-focused work, acceptance and commitment ideas, attachment-based thinking, and client-centered listening to build lasting skills. Maria has a background supporting parents with parenting challenges and people facing mood shifts, bipolar-related concerns, and substance use struggles. She also focuses on caregiver stress, adoption and foster care issues, body image, codependency, communication problems, and grief-related concerns including end-of-life and hospice-related topics. Her work often centers on helping people manage strong emotions and rebuild daily routines. She offers tools for coping, emotion regulation, and clearer communication. Expect practical strategies you can use between sessions alongside an open, listening stance in therapy. Maria aims to help clients uncover strengths and set achievable goals. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule according to availability. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time, and fees vary by location and therapist availability.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choosing actions that match personal values; it can help with anxiety, depression, and life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy examines thoughts and behaviors to identify patterns that keep problems going, and uses concrete exercises to change those patterns and improve mood and coping. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people build more secure connections and clearer communication in close relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful. Together they decide which combination of methods to try and adjust the plan as needed based on how things progress.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. They also let people access a therapist who speaks English or Spanish across different regions and time zones, which can be helpful when balancing caregiving, work, or travel.