Marisa Esparza , LPC

Marisa Esparza is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Texas who focuses on practical support for common life stresses. She helps people facing anxiety, depression, parenting pressures, relationship and intimacy concerns, attention difficulties, substance issues, and identity questions. Her style is straightforward and compassionate for people who want concrete steps and calmer days. She trained at the University of Texas at El Paso, earning a Master of Education in Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelor of Education. Over ten years she has worked in inpatient and outpatient settings, including program management roles that involved crisis response, group work, and collaboration with medical teams. Those experiences shaped how she evaluates risk and coordinates care. In clinical work she uses a mix of approaches to match the person in front of her. She draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to change unhelpful thinking and behavior, acceptance and commitment strategies to clarify values and reduce struggle, and attachment-informed perspectives to address patterns that come from early relationships. She also applies client-centered principles to keep sessions focused on each person's goals. Marisa has led groups for adolescents, adults, military, and seniors, and has provided psychiatric rehabilitative skills training in community settings. She has experience with assessments, de-escalation in crisis, and working with caregivers and treatment teams to support stability. She is an LGBTQIA advocate and often supports young people exploring identity while helping families improve communication. Marisa accepts sessions in English and works with international clients when arrangements allow.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to notice difficult thoughts without getting stuck in them and to take actions that align with their values; it can help with anxiety, depression, and major life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors, which is useful for anxiety, mood concerns, and sleep or eating problems. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current connections and helps people build more secure ways of relating in close relationships.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels most useful. Together they test different techniques and adjust the plan based on progress and feedback, so the process is tailored rather than fixed.

Online sessions can fit into busy lives through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video works well for deeper conversations and skill practice, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, quick check-ins or brief coaching can use live chat, and text messaging supports short updates or reflections between sessions. These options provide flexibility for people managing parenting, work, school, or health needs while working with a licensed professional.