Maria Ortega-Cortez
Hi there! Glad to know you are here. I first want to state that I value your willingness to seek help. As a provider, I bring a warm and caring environment to help you and guide you through your mental health journey. Being a curious person when encountering people who faced life challenges and seemed to demonstrate great resiliency, always sparked my interest in the field. Having the direct experience of being heard and accompanied by a professional during difficult times has also shaped the provider I am today, as I always try to put myself in your shoes.
First session
During our first session, my goal is to make you feel comfortable and truly get to know you. Trust is essential in this process, so I make that a priority by allowing you to take your time during the process. I also like to take the responsibility of making the space as easy as possible, acknowledging that it is normal to feel nervous at first.
Strengths
As a therapist, I believe that you are the driver of your journey! I see this work as a collaboration where I accompany you on the different roads that life has taken you and is leading you towards. I believe in having a goal we work towards, I do frequent check-in's to make sure you are finding our sessions fruitful.
Ideal clients
Struggling with balancing life or feeling unfulfilled in general, despite your efforts? I work with people who experience challenges with feeling a sense of fulfillment. Together, we will explore different areas in your life, finding solutions and learning coping skills, and identify the purpose of your life! I also work with children and their parents in order to improve relationship and manage unwanted behaviors.
Treatment methods
Integrative
I integrate different methods through a holistic approach where I assess different areas of your life (health, nutrition, relationships, employment etc.) in order to identify overall life satisfaction and fulfillment.
Strength-Based
I focus on your strengths as a tool to help you gain mental health.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
With IFS, we take a look at the different parts in you that have different reactions. Identifying your most authentic self, we begin to strengthen this part while acknowledging the uncomfortable parts that arise during triggering events.
Trauma-Informed Care
I recognize that there are traumatic situations that make it hard to achieve mental health, so we review how trauma affects your current state and how you can build resiliency from it.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Doesn't specialize in
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 155694