Maria Caruso, LPC

Maria Caruso is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with 20 years of clinical experience. She works with adults on common life challenges like relationship strains, grief, work transitions, depression, anxiety, and caregiving stress. Her background includes helping people facing serious illness and end-of-life concerns, and she brings practical strategies to tough moments.

She uses an integrative approach that draws on several therapy styles to match each person's needs. That can mean looking at unhelpful thinking patterns, tracing relationship themes from the past, or focusing on short-term solutions to regain stability. Maria also uses tools like journaling and creative exercises when they help clients name difficult feelings.

Clients can expect a collaborative style where therapist and client agree on goals and steps forward. Sessions often include clear, actionable tasks between meetings and a focus on what to try in daily life. Maria aims to combine empathy with structured work so progress feels real and measurable.

Her experience includes individual and group work in healthcare and corporate settings, which shaped her ability to guide people through major life transitions. She has supported people through cancer, bereavement, adoption and foster care concerns, and the stresses of caregiving.

Maria practices in New Jersey and provides counseling in English. She helps people facing aging and geriatric issues and other later-life concerns, offering practical support for coping, decision-making, and relationships affected by aging.

How her approaches translate to online support

The client-centered approach focuses on the person in front of the therapist, emphasizing respect and listening so clients feel heard and understood. It helps when someone needs emotional support during grief, caregiving, or big life changes.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and offers practical techniques to change unhelpful patterns. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and habits tied to addiction or anger.

Narrative Therapy helps people separate themselves from their problems by retelling their stories and finding alternatives. This can help with identity shifts after loss, adoption, or major health changes.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, and may blend approaches as needs evolve.

Online therapy can make regular sessions easier to fit into a busy life. It can reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins between in-person visits, and help maintain continuity during life transitions. Because specific session formats are not listed here, confirm available options before booking to know what will work best for scheduling and daily routines.