Maria Slaughter, LISW, LCSW, CSW

Maria Slaughter is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with seven years of clinical experience. She brings steady, compassionate support for people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and relationship concerns. Maria writes in a warm, straightforward way and aims to make first steps feel manageable for worried parents and individuals alike.

She focuses on practical conversations that identify immediate goals. Sessions often include problem-solving, coping skills, and ways to rebuild self-esteem. Maria draws on experience supporting people connected to the LGBT community, clients living with HIV/AIDS, and hospice care situations.

Her background includes a Master’s degree in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University, a Bachelor’s degree from Cleveland State University, and an associate degree in Liberal Arts from Cuyahoga Community College. Prior roles include work at a community LGBT center, roles in HIV linkage and program coordination, and behavioral health counseling with people experiencing housing instability.

Maria currently works as a hospice social worker in the Atlanta area and brings that experience into conversations about grief, end-of-life concerns, and family transitions. She uses a client-centered, strengths-based stance to help people set realistic goals and reduce overwhelming stress.

In sessions she combines client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral strategies, mindfulness practices, and solution-focused techniques. She encourages collaboration and straightforward planning so people can try new approaches between meetings and track small successes.

How Maria Uses Practical Approaches Online

Client-centered therapy focuses on the client’s perspective and priorities. The therapist listens closely, reflects what she hears, and helps people set their own goals and next steps. This approach is useful for relationship concerns, self-esteem work, and processing grief.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. Maria may help people identify unhelpful thinking patterns and try small behavior changes to reduce anxiety or depression. These techniques are often paired with brief, doable homework between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Maria works collaboratively to decide whether client-centered, CBT, mindfulness, or solution-focused methods fit best. She adapts the plan based on the person’s goals, life demands, and what feels most useful in early sessions.

Practical benefits of online work include fitting therapy into a busy day and keeping momentum between visits. Since the profile does not specify formats, confirm current session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to attend when schedules are tight, allow shorter check-ins if needed, and reduce travel time so therapy fits around work, school, or caregiving duties.