Maria Rivera, LCSW

Maria Rivera is a licensed clinical social worker with 15 years of experience helping people navigate life’s hard turns. She focuses on practical support for stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, and relationship struggles. Maria believes clients are the experts on their own stories and uses that view to shape each session.

Her approach is collaborative and straightforward. Sessions center on identifying small, doable changes and building on strengths the client already has. She draws on techniques from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people change unhelpful patterns and clarify values.

Maria also uses client-centered methods to create a respectful, listening-first environment. Motivational Interviewing helps when someone is uncertain about change, and Solution-Focused Therapy keeps work goal-oriented and time-aware. Together these approaches guide practical steps toward better coping.

She has worked with people experiencing trauma, anger, grief, parenting stress, ADHD, eating concerns, bipolar mood challenges, and chronic health issues. Additional areas she supports include attachment and abandonment issues, blended family concerns, caregiver stress, and body image.

Maria practices in North Carolina and offers therapy in English. Her style is calm and encouraging, aimed at helping people take the next realistic step toward feeling more in control.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Maria often uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. ACT helps people name what matters most to them and learn to accept uncomfortable feelings while acting toward those values. CBT focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical exercises to change mood and behavior.

Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences, try techniques, and adjust the plan based on what helps most. This way the work stays focused on real-life improvements rather than fitting a single method.

Confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not listed here. Many people find online therapy helps fit care into a busy life by reducing travel, easing scheduling, and allowing shorter check-ins when needed. Licensed professionals can tailor pacing and homework to match daily schedules, which makes it easier to practice skills between meetings and keep progress moving forward.