Maria Richardson, LMHC

Maria Richardson is a licensed mental health counselor in Florida with 12 years of clinical experience. She focuses on practical help for stress, anxiety, relationships, grief, and self-esteem. Maria speaks English and Spanish and aims to make the first step into therapy feel manageable for people who are unsure where to begin.

She uses straightforward, goal-focused methods to help people handle life changes and rebuild confidence. Sessions emphasize clear thinking about problems, testing new habits, and practicing communication skills. Maria often breaks larger issues into smaller steps so progress feels possible and measurable.

Relationship concerns and communication problems are a regular part of her practice. She helps people identify patterns that make interactions harder and then tries out different approaches during sessions. This can include learning phrases to express needs and small experiments to shift repeated reactions.

Grief and loss are approached with patience and practical coping strategies. Maria supports people in naming what they’re feeling and finding daily tools to carry forward. Work on self-love and midlife questions focuses on clarifying values and setting achievable goals.

Her style is warm and direct. Maria aims to create a nonjudgmental space where thoughts can be said aloud and new ways of handling stress can be practiced. If you’re ready to take a first step, she asks for a short intake so sessions can begin in a focused way.

How CBT Shapes Online Work and Practical Steps

Maria uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people spot unhelpful thought patterns and test small behavior changes. CBT sessions often involve identifying a thought that fuels anxiety or low mood, trying a different interpretation, and practicing a new behavior over the following days. This approach is useful for stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, and managing grief-related routines.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and adjust methods as therapy progresses. Clients and the therapist decide together which techniques to use and when to try something new, keeping the focus on what actually helps day to day.

Confirm the available session formats before booking since the profile does not list specific options. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, for example by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins during a break, or letting someone choose phone if video bandwidth is limited. Licensed professionals can adapt CBT exercises to work in remote sessions, including homework between visits and role-play during video or audio meetings. Discuss format preferences during the intake so sessions match your routine and goals.