Maria Willett

Hi, I'm Maria Willett, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), attorney, and former corporate executive. Before becoming a therapist, I spent nearly two decades working in executive leadership, talent strategy, and organizational consulting with companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 organizations. That experience gives me a unique understanding of the pressures many high-achieving professionals, leaders, founders, and caregivers face as they navigate stress, burnout, identity shifts, and relationship challenges.

I earned my Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute and my Juris Doctor from CUNY School of Law. My career journey has allowed me to bridge the worlds of psychology, leadership, relationships, and personal growth, helping clients navigate both internal struggles and external demands with greater clarity and confidence.

My areas of specialization include trauma recovery, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship and couples work, life transitions, burnout, perfectionism, and emotional regulation. I also enjoy working with individuals who are exploring questions of identity, purpose, meaning, and how to create a life that feels aligned with their values.

Clients often describe me as warm, compassionate, grounded, and direct. I believe therapy works best when it feels like a genuine partnership built on trust, curiosity, and authenticity. While I bring evidence-based clinical training to our work, I also bring a very human approach—one that honors your strengths, your story, and your capacity for growth and healing.

Whether you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or simply ready for something different, I strive to create a space where you can feel safe enough to explore, heal, and move toward the life and relationships you want.

My approach to therapy is warm, collaborative, and deeply relational. I believe that healing happens when people feel seen, understood, and supported—not judged or pathologized. My goal is to create a space where clients can slow down, make sense of their experiences, and develop greater self-awareness, resilience, and self-trust.

I work from a trauma-informed, attachment-based lens and integrate evidence-based approaches including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, somatic awareness, and Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed interventions. I tailor therapy to each client's unique needs, strengths, values, and goals rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

Many of the clients I work with are navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, relationship challenges, life transitions, burnout, perfectionism, and stress related to work, leadership, or caregiving. I have particular experience supporting high-achieving professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, healthcare providers, and individuals who often appear successful on the outside while struggling internally with overwhelm, self-criticism, or a persistent sense that they are "never enough."

In our work together, we may explore how past experiences shape current patterns, build practical skills for managing emotions and stress, strengthen relationships and boundaries, and help you reconnect with what matters most to you. I often incorporate psychoeducation about the nervous system, helping clients understand concepts such as emotional regulation, attachment, and the Window of Tolerance so they can approach themselves with greater compassion and clarity.

Clients often tell me that their first session feels less intimidating and more conversational than they expected. My goal is to create a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where you can begin sharing your story at your own pace.

During our first session, I'll spend time getting to know you—what brings you to therapy, what challenges you're facing, what you've already tried, and what you hope might be different in your life, relationships, or overall well-being. We'll explore both your current concerns and the broader context of your experiences, including important relationships, life transitions, strengths, and sources of support.

I view therapy as a collaborative process, so we'll begin identifying goals together rather than me telling you what you "should" work on. Some clients come in with a clear sense of what they want to address, while others simply know that something isn't working and want help finding clarity. Both are completely welcome.

You can also expect some initial education about how stress, emotions, relationships, and the nervous system work, as I find that understanding what's happening beneath the surface often helps reduce shame and increase self-compassion.

By the end of our first session, my hope is that you'll feel heard, understood, and have a clearer sense of how we might work together moving forward. We'll discuss potential goals, answer any questions you have, and determine whether I'm the right fit for your needs. My intention is for you to leave feeling supported, hopeful, and with a greater understanding of both yourself and the path ahead.