Maria Sullivan

The psychological resilience of people has always been a source of curiosity and energy for me. In my 40 years of work in the field of behavioral health, including before I was licensed as a clinical social worker, it has been inspiring to watch people face adversity and adapt to truly find their joy in the day-to-day world. None of us can avoid all challenges and painful experiences, so the 'win' is recognizing our potential for change and growth. I have witnessed this potential with adolescents struggling to establish their identity, individuals of all ages trying to shed the restraints of addiction, and people we see every day hiding the shame of trauma that keeps them emotionally trapped. My clinical work focuses on starting with what you want to accomplish and matching it to the strength and skills that you might not be recognizing.

I have experience providing therapy with adolescents and adults through outpatient, residential and psychiatric inpatient unit settings. Trauma, depression, substance use, and life transitions have been amoung the issues I have worked with clients on. I am especially interested in supporting individuals suffering with grief from the loss of a pet, which sometimes is misunderstood and minimized in society. I also try to find those moments when we can recognize the healing value of humor in our lives.

Therapy is difficult work so my goal is to help you focus your energy in a way that enhances how you feel about yourself. You might often hear me say that "man is not disturbed by things, but by the view he takes of them." (originates from Greek philosopher Epictetus). We don't have control over the outside world, but we can change how we perceive it.

In our first session together, I will hope that you tell me as much about yourself and your experiences as you are comfortable with because the more you can tell me, the better I'll be able to help you recognize what you already have to build upon and how we can work together to determine a plan to reach your goals.