I have 17 years of post-graduate professional clinical social work experience. I have been licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in Florida for over 8 years. I am also licensed in the state of Texas. I am passionate about providing support to not only my clients but to fellow social workers, which is why I am also certified in providing supervision to social workers who wish to obtain a license. I have experience in helping adolescent and adult clients with various issues including but not limited to life transitions, coping with addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, and anger management.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
The first session is used for me to give you a brief introduction as to who I am but more time is spent on me gaining a summary from you as to what has led you to make the decision to commit to working towards your goal. Some clients have come to therapy not to accomplish something but to gain perspective from a life event. In those situations identifying a goal or seeing a resolution can be difficult to conceptualize and that is important to express so in the coming sessions we can identify the goal we are working towards. I also use the first session to review any questions that I have based on the assessment documentation that you have completed prior to the first session.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My biggest strength is to use care as we identify strengths that you may have not identified for yourself. I am compassionate as we work through your identified goals. I appreciate you sharing that story with me, and we will work together to identify how to use your strengths and get them to show up for you when you need it the most. I will tailor interventions based on your needs and goals for treatment.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I want to congratulate you on the first step in this journey and hopefully, you will choose me to support you in it. My clients appreciate my personable, lighthearted, and serious demeanor. The work of getting you to where you want to be is important and serious but we can also have a few laughs as we learn and grow.
About Maya Atwood
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Motivational Interviewing
I have used this theory throughout my 17 year career. I find that this modality is best used to help client's identify and process through any ambivalence that is preventing them from achieving their desired goals.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
This theory of practice I feel most aligns with the spirit of the Social Work profession. This theory is focused on identifying and maximizing clients strengths. Ensuring a client's right to self determination is so important to Social Workers that it is our second ethical standard. You are the expert in your life so let us work together to clear out the obstacles that are standing in the way of making the changes that you seek.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use this theory to help client's integrate their feelings regarding the deep rooted way we feel about ourselves, how we feel about ourselves in relation to others, and how we want to feel about ourselves in the future. I also apply this theory to help clients begin the process of gaining more awareness of their feelings. At times we as people allow judgement and shame about an emotional state, cloud the ability to identify the feeling. These judgements can impede the process of identifying the root cause of the emotion. This theory can also help clients view the adversity that they face in their lives and how they overcome them.