- Stress and anxiety
- Addictions and recovery
- ACT and CBT methods
About Maria
Maria Rivera is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in North Carolina with 15 years of experience. She works with adults who are dealing with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship concerns, and the effects of trauma and abuse. Maria also helps people facing grief, parenting strain, mood challenges such as depression and bipolar disorder, and attention-related difficulties like ADHD.
Her approach centers on practical methods that help people notice what matters to them and change patterns that no longer work. She uses techniques from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and client-centered conversations to clarify goals and build small, achievable steps. Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused Therapy are part of how she helps people reframe readiness for change and set short-term objectives.
Maria often addresses family of origin themes, such as roles, expectations, and attachment patterns that still affect current relationships. She also works with issues like abandonment, adoption and foster care, blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, and communication or control problems. Sessions mix talking, skill practice, and goal setting that aim for clearer thinking and steadier behavior.
Her style treats the client as the expert on their life and looks for existing strengths to build on. Maria encourages practical experiments between sessions and checks in on what is most useful. People who want straightforward, skills-based work with attention to family background often seek her out.
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not accepted. To begin, select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
How her approaches work in online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and practice small actions that align with those values. It focuses on accepting difficult thoughts while committing to meaningful behavior change, which can help with anxiety, avoidance, or life transitions.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) examines how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact and teaches concrete skills for shifting unhelpful patterns. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, and coping with stress by breaking problems into manageable steps.
Client-Centered Therapy centers the conversation on the person’s experience, giving space to reflect and identify strengths. Together these approaches create a mix of goal-focused work and exploratory conversation that can suit different problems including family of origin issues and relationship patterns.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to decide which methods feel most useful based on their goals, needs, and preferences. That can mean trying an experiment for a few sessions and adjusting if something else seems a better fit.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, avoid travel time, or choose a check-in that fits the moment. If you need a shorter or simpler session on a workday, mention that when you schedule and the therapist can discuss what will work.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Listed in
North Carolina
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting, mood disorders, ADHD, and related issues such as abandonment and attachment concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her work combines Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and client-centered conversations to set clear goals and practice concrete skills between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 15 years of professional experience as a social worker in clinical settings.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an LCSW licensed in North Carolina and practices in that state.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions scheduled and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time; specific pricing depends on the billing arrangement you select.
How do I get started with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session to begin.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.