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LCSW

Maria Clara Salazar-Pretto, LCSW

  • Experience20 years
  • LocationFlorida
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Relationship
  • Therapy approachesClient-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • LanguagesEnglish and Spanish
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About Maria

Maria Clara Salazar-Pretto brings two decades of clinical experience to clients seeking help with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, and ADHD. She blends practical, goal-oriented strategies with a warm, client-centered attitude to help people build more satisfying day-to-day lives.

Background and approach

Fluent in English and Spanish, she draws on a lifelong bicultural background to relate to diverse perspectives and communicate across cultural lines. Her training includes a master’s degree in clinical social work and a long record of practice in hospitals, health centers, and personal agencies across varied settings.

As an LCSW licensed in Florida (FL LCSW SW7853), she uses approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused methods, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness, and Client-Centered therapy. These tools emphasize practical coping skills, clearer thinking patterns, emotion regulation, and collaborative goal setting to respond to challenges like trauma, caregiving stress, career struggles, parenting issues, and compassion fatigue.

Working with Maria Clara is presented as a collaborative process in which clients set priorities and try concrete strategies. She encourages people to take small first steps toward change and supports them in developing routines and skills that promote a steadier sense of well-being.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Maria Clara uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and replace them with more effective coping strategies; this approach is useful for anxiety, depression, and managing daily stress. She also integrates Client-Centered therapy, prioritizing the person's goals and using empathy and active listening to create a collaborative space for growth. These methods are practical and skill-focused, aiming to produce measurable changes in how clients respond to life challenges.

Choosing the best approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist works with each person to explore needs, preferences, and goals, and then tailors interventions accordingly rather than imposing a single method. That flexibility helps ensure therapy evolves as progress is made and priorities shift.

Online formats - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to maintain continuity across locations. These options allow clients to practice skills between sessions, check in quickly when challenges arise, and access care from Florida or internationally. The variety of formats supports flexible scheduling and different communication styles so people can choose what works best for their circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she commonly address?
She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, parenting challenges, trauma and abuse, compassion fatigue, and ADHD among other focus areas.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is client-centered and goal-oriented, using empathy, validation, and active listening while applying practical techniques drawn from CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and solution-focused therapy.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She has 20 years of professional experience and has worked in hospitals, health centers, and personal agencies helping adults across different life stages and settings.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an LCSW licensed in Florida with licence number FL LCSW SW7853 and practices with a background in clinical social work.
Can sessions be conducted in languages other than English?
Yes, she conducts therapy in both English and Spanish and is able to work with international clients who seek services in those languages.
What session formats are available for working with her?
Clients may meet through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on their preferences and scheduling options.
How are costs and scheduling handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps should I take to begin working with her?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a brief matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseDepression

Also works with

GriefIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesBlended family issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSelf-harmSexual assault and abuseWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

20+ years

Licensed

Florida

Languages

English, Spanish

What Maria can help with

Maria Clara Salazar-Pretto works with clients on stress and anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, and depression.

Maria has worked for more than 20 years with clients ranging from young adults to senior citizens in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, health centers and personal agencies.

How Maria approaches therapy

Maria's clinical approaches include Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Internal Family Systems.

Maria uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Systems Theory, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and an overall Humanistic theoretical model.

Experience and training

Maria is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Florida, with 20 years of clinical experience.