Maria Vargas
I developed my career from the grassroots of social work, gaining experience across a variety of roles and settings that shaped both my professional perspective and the way I connect with people. Over time, those experiences led me to individual therapy, where I found a meaningful way to combine my clinical training with my passion for helping people navigate change. Today, I support clients as they work through challenges, gain a deeper understanding of themselves, and make meaningful, sustainable changes in their lives. My approach is grounded in meeting people where they are, recognizing their strengths, and creating a supportive space where they can explore what may be holding them back while developing practical tools to move forward. I believe therapy is not about having all the answers—it is about creating space for reflection, growth, and intentional change. I value building genuine therapeutic relationships and helping clients identify changes that feel realistic, meaningful, and aligned with the life they want to create.
First session
I start our first session by giving you an overview of what to expect from the intake process. Fair warning: there are lots of questions! We’ll talk about what brings you to therapy, symptoms you may be experiencing, family history, current relationships, stressors, and other experiences that help me better understand you and what’s going on in your life. Most importantly, we’ll begin identifying your goals for therapy. I believe therapy should have a sense of direction—if we don’t know what we’re working toward, how will we know when we’re making progress? Together, we’ll identify what you’d like to change, improve, or better understand and use those goals to guide our work moving forward. And don’t worry—we don’t have to figure everything out in the first session. The goal is to start building a picture of where you are, where you’d like to be, and how we can work together to help you get there.
Strengths
One of the greatest strengths I bring to my sessions is the ability to create a space that feels comfortable, genuine, and judgment-free. I believe therapy works best when you feel like you can show up as yourself—without having to filter, perform, or have everything figured out before you walk through the door. My approach is collaborative, practical, and goal-oriented. I’m an active participant in the therapy process, which means I won’t simply sit back and ask, “How does that make you feel?” We’ll explore patterns, challenge thoughts that may no longer be serving you, identify your strengths, and develop practical strategies you can use outside of our sessions. I also bring perspective from working in different areas of social work throughout my career. Those experiences have taught me to look beyond symptoms and consider the whole person—their relationships, environment, experiences, strengths, and current circumstances. Most importantly, I meet clients where they are while also encouraging them to move toward where they want to be. Therapy should feel supportive, but I also believe it should help create meaningful change.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who knows that something needs to change—even if they’re not quite sure what that change looks like yet. You may feel overwhelmed, stretched too thin, stuck in the same patterns, or tired of simply pushing through and telling yourself, “I’m fine.” You don’t need to come to therapy with everything figured out. You simply need to be willing to show up, be honest, get curious about yourself, and try something different. I work best with clients who want more than a place to vent. You want to understand the “why” behind your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and behaviors—and, more importantly, learn what you can actually do with that understanding. My style tends to be a good fit if you appreciate a therapist who is warm and supportive but also engaged, practical, and willing to challenge you when needed. We can laugh, acknowledge that life is messy, and still do meaningful work. For clients who desire it, I also welcome incorporating Christian faith and biblical principles into therapy. Faith can be an important source of hope, perspective, and strength while we also use evidence-based therapeutic tools to address the very real challenges of everyday life. Ultimately, my ideal client isn’t someone who has it all together. It’s someone who is ready to stop simply surviving their circumstances and begin intentionally working toward the life, relationships, and emotional well-being they want.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
The overarching goal of therapy is resolution—not simply talking about what is wrong, but working toward meaningful change. The path to resolution is not always easy, and it rarely happens overnight. I believe lasting change should develop in an organic and authentic way rather than feeling forced, rushed, or disingenuous. I primarily use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps us explore the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we’ll identify patterns that may be contributing to distress or keeping you feeling stuck, challenge thoughts that may no longer be helpful or accurate, and develop healthier ways of thinking, responding, and coping. My approach to CBT is practical and collaborative. I’m not here to simply tell you to “think positively.” Instead, we’ll examine what you’re experiencing, determine what is and isn’t serving you, and identify realistic changes that make sense for your life. The tools we discuss in session are meant to be practiced in everyday situations—because therapy happens in our choices, reactions, relationships, and interactions, not just during our sessions. Ultimately, our work is aimed at reducing psychological symptoms that are interfering with your daily functioning while helping you develop greater insight, healthier coping strategies, and the ability to navigate challenges more effectively. Resolution may look different for each person, but the goal is meaningful, sustainable change that feels authentic to you.
Motivational Interviewing
Change can be difficult—even when we know something in our lives isn’t working. I use Motivational Interviewing to help clients explore the space between “I know something needs to change” and “I’m ready to do something about it.” Rather than telling you what you should do or pushing you toward a decision, we’ll explore what matters to you, what may be getting in the way, and what change could realistically look like in your life. I believe meaningful change is much more sustainable when the motivation for it is genuinely yours. Motivational Interviewing fits naturally into my approach because I don’t believe in forcing resolution. Sometimes we need to work through uncertainty, conflicting feelings, fear, or even resistance before we are ready to move forward—and that is part of the therapeutic process. Combined with CBT, this allows us to not only identify thoughts and behaviors that may be keeping you stuck, but also understand your readiness for change and build the internal motivation needed to actually put new skills into practice.
Location
Virtual sessions