Hi, welcome. I am Maricela, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in CA. I believe that therapy is a journey of personal growth and healing. It takes courage and can be challenging, but you don’t have to embark alone. My hope is that, as your therapist, I can be the holder of hope and a source of support. After obtaining my Master's in Counseling degree in 2015, I have had a wide range of experience. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults and families as they work through a wide range of issues including traumatic experiences, grief, depression, and anxiety.
In our first session we will begin with an introduction and explore your expectations and what brings you to therapy. If you're new to therapy, we will also take some time to go over what therapy entails, and, hopefully, reduce any jitters. I believe that each individual is unique, therefore, I personalize treatment and find the therapeutic modality that works best for you, your issues, and your goals.
At the root of my work with clients is genuine empathy and human connection. I strive to provide an accepting and safe space for you to express yourself and process what has brought you into therapy. I often take a humanistic approach. I believe that you are the expert of you and your life, and you possess your own inner wisdom. My role is to guide you in finding your answers.
I have enjoyed working with clients that show up, even when it is difficult to do so. I have found that I have made the biggest impact on those individuals ready to break generational cycles. These clients have faced their emotional challenges and made a decision to reach out for emotional support.
At the core of my training, about 9 years ago, has been a Humanistic approach. I have been using this approach since with many client's finding this approach to be helpful in overcoming various life challenges and improving their wellbeing. We'll utilize our therapeutic relationship to help you find your human potential, inner wisdom, and improved self-awareness.
I have been implementing Mindfulness-Based Therapy into my practice for over 8 years. Applying mindfulness strategies into therapy (specifically CBT), has assisted many clients in regulating their emotional disturbances and has led to improved well-being. Using deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation (amongst other mindfulness-based approaches) has assisted clients manage Anxiety and Depression symptoms.
I have applied Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) over the past 3 years to assist some clients with Anxiety and Depression symptoms. CBT has assisted these client's in identifying cognitive distortions and challenging/reframing these to assist in a reduction in intensity of symptoms. Clients have learned the connection between their thoughts/beliefs, emotions, and behaviors and the impact it has had on their symptoms.