Maria Cabrera

I believe therapy should be a space where you can show up as yourself and feel genuinely heard, respected, and understood. I am a proud second-generation Latinx, bilingual English- and Spanish-speaking Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. My cultural background has shaped my appreciation for the important roles that family, culture, identity, and community can play in our lives and in the healing process.

I earned my Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and completed the Ánimo: Latinx Counseling Emphasis, which strengthened my training in culturally responsive mental health care. I have worked in community mental health for the past five years, first as an associate therapist and now as a licensed clinician. My experience includes working with children, adolescents, adults, parents, and families from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

I support clients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, relationship and family concerns, parenting stress, emotional regulation difficulties, life transitions, and overwhelming stress. I also understand that concerns such as cultural identity, intergenerational experiences, family expectations, and relationships can influence mental health and well-being.

Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, processing difficult experiences, navigating change, or wanting to better understand yourself and your relationships, I am here to meet you where you are and support you as we work toward meaningful change together.

My approach to therapy is warm, collaborative, culturally responsive, and strengths-based. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to help you better understand your experiences, identify patterns, build effective coping skills, and move toward the changes that feel meaningful to you.

I use a trauma-informed approach and draw from evidence-based practices, including cognitive behavioral techniques, solution-focused strategies, mindfulness, and emotion regulation skills. I also consider how relationships, family dynamics, culture, identity, and past experiences may be influencing what you are going through today.

I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. I tailor therapy to your needs, goals, personality, and comfort level. Some sessions may focus on practical tools and problem-solving, while others may involve processing emotions, exploring past experiences, strengthening relationships, or developing a deeper understanding of yourself.

Above all, I aim to create a supportive and nonjudgmental space where you can feel comfortable being yourself, asking questions, and working at a pace that feels right for you.

Your first session is a chance for us to get to know each other and begin building a comfortable, supportive therapeutic relationship. I will ask about what brings you to therapy, what you have been experiencing, and what you hope to gain from our work together.

We may also talk about important areas of your life, including relationships, family, culture, past experiences, current stressors, and the strengths and supports you already have. You are never expected to share everything at once. We will move at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

I will also explain what therapy with me may look like, answer any questions you have, and work with you to begin identifying goals for treatment. My goal is for you to leave the first session feeling heard, respected, and with a clearer sense of how we can work together moving forward.