I take a Person-centred approach in our work together. What does this mean? Well, it means that I commit to seeing you as you! I recognize and acknowledge that each person has unique identities, experiences, strengths, and values that they contribute to this world. For me, establishing a strong therapeutic bond is the essential ingredient to effective therapy, and I like to do this by getting to know my clients as a person first (not their "symptoms"), and facilitate this by bringing my authentic self into the therapy space as well. While recognizing that everyone's therapy process is different, when possible, I optimize the therapy process by working within a short-term therapy framework. This means that many clients notice significant therapeutic benefit within ~6-10 sessions and feel confident to manage their identified concerns independently within this timeframe. I achieve this by: co-creating tangible and focused therapy goals with clients to guide sessions and monitor progress, teaching clients tangible coping skills to manage their anxieties and worries, and exploring/helping clients gain greater insight to their concerns to facilitate long-term change. Seeing clients 'graduate' from therapy is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a therapist. However, I know that life sometimes can throw us those unexpected curveballs, and I always welcome clients back into the therapy space to work through concerns, old or new. While I have extensive experience and training in Solution-focused and Cognitive Behaviour therapies, I tailor every session to each client's individual needs using techniques from various evidence-based therapeutic modalities. I pride myself in utilizing an intersectional and client-centred lens in my work and strive to provide culturally-responsive therapy to meet the unique individual needs of each client.
Life can feel unreasonable sometimes and leave us feeling overwhelmed, disempowered, helpless, and a whole lot of complicated and difficult emotions. However, I am here to share that you don’t need work through all these alone. In fact, humans evolved as social creatures, meaning that we are biologically programmed — to understand and empathize each other and to share our pains and sufferings. But some of our best successes come through cooperation and collaboration. I believe this extends to our mental health as well. By providing a warm and nonjudgmental environment, I hope we can explore, collaborate, and work through some of your toughest times. With warmth, some humour, and a whole lot of humanity, I am here to get to know you as a person first.
Growing up in an environment that essentially dismissed mental health, I experienced the negative impacts firsthand while navigating the difficult post-secondary transition. Thus, unsurprisingly, becoming a therapist wasn't a lifelong dream but an unexpected career shift. During a clinical psychology internship initially taken as a "break" from academic and life obligations, I experienced incredible fulfillment working within an inpatient psychiatric setting. Witnessing clients learning to manage their mental illnesses and THRIVE in the community afterward gave me hope and appreciation for the people's ability to change. After those 13 months, I began to reevaluate my career path. Fast forward to graduate school, I was determined to show others that it is perfectly NORMAL to struggle sometimes and that it was OKAY to talk about these struggles; that all these experiences are all part of being a human being.
Maria’s fees are:
50-Minute Session: $220
80-Minute Session: $330
Our therapy services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance provider or benefit plan. To confirm your plan coverage, please contact your insurance provider.
Maria’s appointments can be direct billed to can be direct billed to Alberta Blue Cross, ASEBP, GreenShield and Medavie (which includes Veterans Affairs and RCMP).
Don’t see your insurance listed?
If we’re unable to direct bill your insurance provider, you’ll be able to submit the receipt we send at the end of your session to your insurance provider for reimbursement yourself.
