Maria Ward, LMFT
Therapist in California
Maria Ward is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with 13 years of experience.
- License 98143 · California Expires May 2026
- NPI 1184932006 · national registry
- Experience and languages 13+ years in practice English, Spanish
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.
About Maria
Maria Ward is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with 13 years of experience. She focuses on helping people facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, and mood challenges. She speaks English and Spanish and aims to make the first step easier for people who are nervous about starting therapy.
She draws on practical methods like the Gottman Method for relationship patterns and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice what matters most.
Background and approach
Maria uses Attachment-Based and Client-Centered approaches to honor each person’s story and strengths. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used when helpful to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. In sessions she listens, asks questions, and works with clients to set clear goals.
She offers tools for managing anger, coping with grief, and navigating life changes. She also supports people dealing with addictions, body image concerns, and caregiver stress. Maria has worked with issues around parenting, adoption and foster care, blended family dynamics, and communication difficulties.
She also addresses intimacy-related issues, commitment concerns, and separation or divorce adjustments. Her approach is collaborative and grounded in everyday language. Clients can expect straightforward techniques, skill-building exercises, and space to tell their story.
Maria emphasizes clients’ existing strengths while introducing skills to manage symptoms like panic, low mood, or impulsive behavior. She aims to help people move toward the daily life they want.
Credentials
- LMFT (California)
- License 98143 · expires May 2026
- NPI
- 1184932006 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Maria lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Depression
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Maria names
- Gottman Method
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Jungian Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
These are the approaches Maria names on their own professional profile. Naming an approach is not evidence of training or certification in it, and this directory checks no training records. Ask directly if it matters to you.
Online support
Therapeutic approaches for online care
Maria often uses the Gottman Method to look at how partners interact and to teach clearer communication and conflict skills, which can help with recurring relationship patterns. She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people clarify what matters most to them, accept difficult feelings, and take values-driven actions.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, history, and preferences, and together they will try methods that fit the situation. That allows adjustments over time so the work stays relevant and practical.
Online therapy here is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video works well for role-play, observing interaction patterns, and face-to-face conversation. Phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging support quick updates, brief coaching, or ongoing skill practice between sessions.
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Frequently asked
What concerns does Maria address?
She helps people cope with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, addictions, relationship and family issues, grief, intimacy concerns, eating and body image problems, parenting challenges, self-esteem, career stress, bipolar symptoms, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.
What is her general therapy style?
Maria combines practical, skills-based work with empathic listening. Sessions focus on goals, exercises you can use between sessions, and clearer communication patterns.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 13 years of professional experience as a licensed clinician working with a range of emotional and relationship concerns.
What are her credentials and location?
She holds a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist credential - CA LMFT - and practices with clients based in California.
Which languages are offered for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish for individuals who prefer either language.
Can she work with people outside the United States?
Yes, she accepts international clients and can provide services across regions when clinically appropriate.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does cost and scheduling work?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability and are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
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