About

I am is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, receiving my Masters in Social Work from the University of Chicago. I also have a Masters in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois, and a Bachelors of Liberal Arts and Sciences from the University of Chicago. Maria has been working with adolescents and adults for over 30 years in the school and private practice and community service settings. I have been trained in the area of Mindfulness for over 10 years, teaching both adolescents and adults mindfulness skills to manage their difficult emotions as well as provide general self-improvement and life enhancement.

My therapy style is warm and interactive. I believe in treating anyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I generally uses a cognitive/behavioral approach and has found that Mindfulness is an excellent complement to this work in both group and individual settings, helping people with anxiety, depression and PTSD, to name a few. In my professional experiences I have found that Mindfulness is easily accessible to anyone and that the practice is extremely flexible to meet everyone’s interest and ability. My approach to therapy is to provide a safe environment for my clients to be able to explore the reasons that brought them into therapy and help them to become more self-assured.

I have recently earned by 200 Yoga Teacher Training Certificate and teach yoga to both teens and adults. I meditate daily and love to exercise with long walks, paddle boarding, cross country skiing and gardening or just about anything in nature. I look forward to summer road trips with my family and friends when we turn in our electronic devices for hiking boots and conversation.