I’m Dr. Maria Mejia, a licensed therapist who works with individuals who feel overwhelmed by life, stress, and the constant pressure to “hold it all together.” Many of the clients I support are millennial parents and young adults who are navigating major life transitions while trying not to lose themselves in the process. My work is rooted in a trauma-informed, holistic approach that honors the mind, body, and nervous system. I believe symptoms like anxiety, burnout, emotional exhaustion, or feeling disconnected are not personal failures—they’re signals that something within you needs care, support, and understanding. I specialize in helping millennial parents manage stress, identity shifts, and emotional overload while parenting in a fast-paced, demanding world. I also work closely with young adults who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of how to navigate adulthood, relationships, and expectations. Therapy with me is collaborative, compassionate, and practical. I strive to create a space where you feel safe, seen, and supported—while also gaining tools to feel more grounded, confident, and connected to yourself. My goal is not just symptom relief, but helping you build a life that feels more aligned, sustainable, and authentic.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
Your first session is a space to slow down, exhale, and begin exactly where you are—no pressure to have everything figured out. We’ll start by getting to know each other. I’ll invite you to share what brought you to therapy, what’s been weighing on you, and what you’re hoping to gain from this process. There’s no right or wrong way to show up—whether you come in feeling emotional, guarded, overwhelmed, or unsure, all of it is welcome. I’ll ask thoughtful, gentle questions to better understand your stressors, life context, emotional patterns, and how your nervous system responds under pressure. If it feels helpful, we may explore how past experiences, family dynamics, or ongoing responsibilities are impacting your present-day stress and well-being. Together, we’ll begin identifying patterns—not to judge or label, but to increase awareness and self-compassion. I often normalize what clients are experiencing, helping them understand why they feel the way they do and how their mind and body are trying to protect them. Before the session ends, we’ll discuss next steps. This may include clarifying goals, identifying areas we want to focus on, or introducing simple grounding tools you can begin using right away. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of what therapy with me looks like and how we can work together at a pace that feels safe and supportive. My priority in the first session—and every session—is helping you feel emotionally safe, understood, and hopeful about what’s possible.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
One of my greatest strengths is my ability to create a calm, grounded space where clients feel emotionally safe and deeply understood. Many people come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, guarded, or afraid of being judged. I prioritize building trust and connection so clients can show up as they are—without needing to minimize or explain their pain. I bring a trauma-informed and holistic lens to my work, helping clients understand how stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion show up not just mentally, but physically and relationally. I’m skilled at helping clients make sense of their nervous system responses and learn practical tools to regulate emotions, reduce overwhelm, and feel more in control. Another strength is my ability to balance compassion with clarity. I validate clients’ experiences while also helping them gently challenge unhelpful patterns, boundaries, or beliefs that keep them stuck. Therapy with me is supportive, but also intentional and growth-oriented. I also bring extensive experience working with families, parents, and young adults navigating complex life transitions. As both a clinician and clinical leader, I understand the realities of burnout, responsibility overload, and the pressure to function at a high level while struggling internally. Clients often tell me they feel “lighter,” more grounded, and more confident in their ability to handle life after working with me. My goal is to help you reconnect with your strengths, trust yourself again, and create sustainable changes that support your mental and emotional health.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
My ideal client is someone who feels overwhelmed by life and is tired of carrying everything alone. This includes millennial parents who are juggling work, parenting, relationships, and personal expectations—often while feeling emotionally depleted or disconnected from themselves. Many of these clients love their families deeply but feel exhausted, overstimulated, or unsure of who they are outside of their roles. They may struggle with anxiety, guilt, irritability, or burnout and want support in creating balance without losing themselves. I also work closely with young adults who are navigating the transition into adulthood and feeling stuck, anxious, or unsure of their direction. These clients may be managing academic stress, career pressure, relationship challenges, or identity exploration. They often feel overwhelmed by expectations and want guidance in building confidence, emotional regulation, and a stronger sense of self. My ideal client doesn’t need to be in crisis—but they are ready for support, insight, and change. They’re open to self-reflection, curious about understanding themselves better, and motivated to learn tools that help them feel more grounded and resilient. Whether you’re feeling burned out, emotionally overloaded, or simply disconnected from yourself, therapy can be a space to reset, reconnect, and move forward with greater clarity and self-compassion.
Trauma Informed Care
I integrate mind–body medicine into my work to help clients understand how stress, trauma, and emotional overload are held not only in the mind, but also in the body. Many individuals I work with experience chronic tension, fatigue, anxiety, or burnout without realizing how deeply their nervous system is impacted by prolonged stress. Using a mind–body approach, I help clients build awareness of physical cues, emotional responses, and patterns of dysregulation. We explore how the body signals overwhelm and practice evidence-based techniques such as grounding, breathwork, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation to restore a sense of safety and balance. This approach is especially beneficial for millennial parents and young adults who feel constantly “on edge,” disconnected, or exhausted. By learning how to regulate the nervous system and listen to the body with curiosity rather than judgment, clients often experience reduced anxiety, improved emotional resilience, and a deeper sense of connection to themselves. Mind–body medicine allows therapy to move beyond insight alone and into embodied healing—supporting clients in feeling calmer, more present, and better equipped to navigate life’s demands.
Relational
My work is deeply grounded in a relational approach. I understand emotional distress as something that often develops and heals within relationships—past and present. I pay close attention to attachment patterns, relational dynamics, and how early experiences shape the way clients relate to themselves and others. In sessions, I use the therapeutic relationship as a safe, attuned space where clients can experience consistency, emotional safety, and authenticity. I help clients identify relational patterns that may be contributing to stress, disconnection, or burnout, and support them in developing healthier ways of setting boundaries, expressing needs, and staying connected without losing themselves.
Narrative
I am highly experienced in narrative therapy and use it to help clients separate themselves from the problems they are facing. Many clients arrive feeling defined by stress, anxiety, guilt, or self-doubt. Through a narrative lens, we explore the stories they’ve internalized about who they are and what they “should” be able to handle. Together, we identify dominant narratives that may no longer serve them and intentionally make space for alternative stories rooted in resilience, values, and lived strengths. This approach is especially empowering for young adults and parents who feel stuck or overwhelmed, as it helps them reclaim agency and reconnect with their sense of identity.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I integrate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients develop psychological flexibility—the ability to experience difficult thoughts and emotions without being controlled by them. Rather than trying to eliminate stress or anxiety, ACT focuses on learning how to respond to internal experiences with greater compassion and effectiveness. I guide clients in practicing mindfulness, emotional acceptance, and values-based decision-making. This model is especially helpful for individuals who feel stuck in cycles of overthinking, avoidance, or perfectionism. Clients learn practical tools to reduce struggle with their thoughts while taking meaningful action toward the life they want to build.
Family Therapy
I bring extensive experience in family therapy, working with parents, adolescents, and young adults to improve communication, reduce conflict, and strengthen emotional connection. I view symptoms not in isolation, but within the broader family system and relational context. My approach helps families understand how stress, life transitions, and unspoken dynamics impact each member. I support parents—particularly millennial parents—in developing more attuned, values-based parenting strategies while maintaining their own emotional well-being. In family work, I emphasize safety, structure, and mutual respect, helping families move from reactivity to understanding and collaboration.