- Client-centered approach
- Focus on self-esteem
- Supports grief work
About Maria
Maria Patania is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in New Jersey with 28 years of practice. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, eating and self-esteem concerns. Maria aims to create a calm and respectful space where clients can talk through what matters most to them.
She draws on Client-Centered Therapy to keep sessions focused on each person’s experience. Conversations are guided by the client’s needs and pace rather than a fixed agenda. Maria listens for patterns of shame, isolation, or control issues and helps clients name and work through them.
Maria often supports people facing life transitions such as divorce, caregiver strain, and shifting identity issues. She also addresses body image, seasonal mood changes, and questions about life purpose in straightforward, practical ways. Sessions include exploring coping strategies and adjusting daily routines to reduce overwhelm.
Her background includes long experience with aging and geriatric issues and traumatic brain injury, which informs how she approaches changes over the lifespan. Maria emphasizes self-love, forgiveness, and rebuilding confidence after loss or major change.
Sessions aim to help clients build clearer personal goals and practical steps to reach them. Maria practices in New Jersey and works in English. Prospective clients should confirm current session options before booking.
How Client-Centered Therapy Transfers Online
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening, empathy, and the client's own goals. In practice the therapist focuses on understanding the person's experience and reflecting it back, which helps with anxiety, low self-esteem, and grief by making feelings clearer and less overwhelming.Maria uses this person-focused stance to prioritize what each client brings to the session. Together they identify immediate concerns and practical steps, such as adjusting daily routines, trying different coping strategies, or exploring sources of guilt and shame that affect mood and behavior.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with the client to test what helps most and adjusts the style over time based on needs and preferences. This means conversations may shift from emotional processing to skill-building as goals evolve.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, shorten check-ins when time is limited, or avoid travel time to appointments. Licensed professionals can support consistent progress even when schedules are tight, helping clients practice new habits between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
28+ years
Listed in
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Maria help with?
She addresses stress, anxiety, depression, grief, eating and self-esteem issues, plus related topics such as body image and caregiver stress.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her work is grounded in Client-Centered Therapy, with sessions shaped around the client's experience and pace rather than a set agenda.
How much experience does she bring?
Maria has 28 years of clinical experience working with a broad range of emotional and life transition concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a licensed clinical social worker, LCSW, practicing in New Jersey.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
Select the Start Therapy button, fill out the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.