FindADHDTherapists

The therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp and we will earn a commission if you use our link - at no cost to you.

LMFT

Maria Ward, LMFT

  • Experience13 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Attachment-Based Therapy
  • LanguagesEnglish and Spanish
View booking options

Check the available next steps for working with Maria online.

About Maria

Maria Ward is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 13 years of practice helping people navigate stress, anxiety, trauma, mood shifts, and relationship challenges.

Background and approach

She approaches each person as the expert of their own life, offering practical tools and steady support to help manage difficult emotions like anger, depression, or overwhelm. Maria also works with concerns such as addiction, grief, intimacy-related issues, body image, and ADHD, bringing a strengths-based attitude that emphasizes collaboration and resilience.

Trained in several evidence-informed approaches, she helps clients develop skills for coping with life changes, parenting difficulties, blended family dynamics, and communication problems. Her background includes work with those affected by abandonment, adoption and foster care issues, caregiver stress, and domestic violence.

Maria provides care in English and Spanish and accepts international clients, aiming to create a respectful, culturally aware therapeutic relationship that fits each individual’s needs.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Maria often draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in online work. ACT helps clients clarify personal values and take committed steps toward a meaningful life while learning to relate differently to painful thoughts and feelings. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and developing practical skills to manage anxiety, depression, and mood shifts.

Choosing an approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and life circumstances to determine which methods fit best and will adjust strategies over time so treatment aligns with the client’s evolving needs.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for busy schedules and different comfort levels. These formats make it easier to access consistent care while balancing work, family, and other commitments, and they support ongoing skill practice between sessions.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Maria address?
She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, addictions, relationship and family challenges, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating concerns, parenting, self esteem, career matters, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, and ADHD among others.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is collaborative and strengths-based, drawing from methods such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy to tailor work to each client’s goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Maria has 13 years of professional experience supporting people through trauma, mood issues, addiction, parenting challenges, and relationship difficulties.
Where is Maria licensed and practicing?
She is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California with the credential CA LMFT 98143 and works with clients in that state and beyond.
Can sessions be conducted in languages other than English?
Yes, sessions are available in both English and Spanish, and she also accepts international clients who can work in those languages.
What session formats are offered?
Maria provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How are fees and payment handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions operate through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseAnger managementDepression

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSelf-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyGottman MethodJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

13+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English, Spanish