Maria Rivera, LCSW

Maria Rivera is a licensed clinical social worker with 15 years of experience helping people navigate stress, anxiety, and trauma. She uses a respectful, person-focused style and treats each client as the expert on their own life. Maria encourages small practical steps and honest conversation to move forward from hard moments.

Her approach centers on practical talk and real-life skills. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try different responses. Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused Therapy are used when someone wants clearer direction or help finding next steps.

Maria has worked with concerns such as addictions, relationship problems, anger, grief, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. She also supports people facing caregiving strain, chronic illness, body image struggles, and issues tied to adoption or abandonment. Aging and geriatric issues are listed among her focus areas and are part of the broader concerns she addresses.

Sessions emphasize collaboration and choices. Maria listens for strengths and builds on small successes. She helps people set realistic goals and practice skills between meetings so change can fit into everyday life.

Maria practices in North Carolina and provides services in English. She invites people to take the first step, complete a brief matching questionnaire, and schedule a session when ready.

Therapeutic approaches you can use online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then pick actions that match their values. It is useful for anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and testing small behavior changes to reduce symptoms like depression or anxiety. It gives concrete tools to try between sessions. Motivational Interviewing is a brief, goal-oriented style that helps when someone feels stuck or ambivalent about change and wants clearer direction.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your goals and suggest methods to try. Together you can adjust what's working and change course if something feels off. The focus is on practical plans you can use outside sessions.

Confirm the available session options before booking, as specific online formats are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, shorten check-ins when needed, and let people use tools and worksheets between meetings. Many clients find the ability to schedule sessions around caregiving, medical appointments, or work helps maintain progress over time.