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- Stress and anxiety
- Addiction support
- Mindfulness and CBT
About Maria
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with six years of clinical experience. Maria Magdalena Rivera helps people manage stress and anxiety, cope with addictions, work through grief, and build self-esteem and motivation.
She uses straightforward conversation and collaborative planning to address problems. Sessions focus on practical skills and clearer thinking. Maria draws on client-centered methods to listen and reflect, cognitive behavioral techniques to address unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and mindfulness practices to reduce reactivity.
Her work includes support for people facing chronic pain, illness, or disability and those dealing with codependency or communication problems. She also assists with drug and alcohol addiction, guilt and shame, midlife transitions, and issues common to young adults.
In sessions she may introduce skills from dialectical behavior therapy to manage intense emotions and from motivational interviewing to strengthen readiness for change. The emphasis is on small, usable steps that fit into daily life rather than on abstract theory.
Maria aims to adapt the pace and focus to each person’s present needs. She asks questions, reflects what she hears, and helps set concrete goals. Prospective clients are invited to follow the site's process to match and schedule a first appointment.
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How her approaches translate to online sessions
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and reflecting. Online sessions can preserve that conversational work, allowing the therapist to follow a person’s concerns and adjust questions and goals in real time.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions. In virtual sessions this often looks like identifying unhelpful thinking, practicing new responses, and assigning brief exercises to try between meetings.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills. Delivered remotely, DBT techniques can be taught, practiced in session, and rehearsed as part of a weekly plan to reduce intense reactions.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods, and refine the plan based on what helps most. Clients and the therapist work together to decide which techniques to prioritize.
The site lists how to begin, but the therapist's session formats are not specified in the biography. Confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into weekdays or shorter breaks, allow solo audio check-ins when video is difficult, and support using digital worksheets or mindfulness practices between meetings.
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Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
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Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Additional focus areas include chronic pain, codependency, communication problems, and young adult issues.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and practical. She uses client-centered listening, CBT techniques, DBT skills, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing to set and reach goals.
How much experience does she have?
She has six years of professional experience working as a therapist in California.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - LMFT - licensed in California.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with clients outside the United States?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a session?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the urgent help numbers.