Maria Richardson , LMHC

Maria Richardson is a licensed mental health counselor practicing in Florida with 12 years of experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationships, grief, self-esteem, and navigating life changes. Maria speaks English and Spanish and aims to make beginning therapy feel manageable for people who are nervous about taking the first step.

She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, helping people notice how thoughts, feelings, and actions link together. In sessions she offers practical tools to shift unhelpful thinking and build coping skills. Those techniques are applied to everyday problems like low motivation, self-doubt, and communication struggles.

Maria also helps people working through midlife shifts and questions about life purpose. Conversations often center on rebuilding confidence, finding clearer direction, and practicing self-love. She breaks larger problems into small, doable steps so progress feels visible.

Grief and loss are approached with direct attention to emotion and to routines that help people adapt. For relationship concerns she focuses on improving communication and clarity, not on assigning blame. The tone in sessions is straightforward, compassionate, and goal-oriented.

Practical matters like scheduling and session format are covered up front. Maria encourages clients to set realistic goals and to try tools between sessions. She supports people who want steady, work-focused therapy that fits into busy lives.

How CBT and online sessions work together

Maria uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thought patterns. CBT sessions focus on identifying thoughts that make stress or anxiety worse, testing those thoughts, and practicing different responses in daily life. This approach is useful for worries, low self-esteem, and problems that affect mood and behavior.

The right therapeutic approach is often discovered together. The therapist will ask about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. From there she and the client choose techniques and adjust them over time so the work fits the person's needs and pace.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls let people use visual cues for deeper conversations. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when a session fits into a short break. Live chat and messaging are useful for brief check-ins, homework feedback, or when someone prefers writing to talking. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while managing work, family, and other demands.