Hello! Hola!
My name is Maria Paz Garcia, and I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor serving people in Broward County. I was born in Peru and moved to the U.S when I was 17 years old. I’m a bilingual therapist who understands the struggles and changes that we have to overcome to adapt in a new culture and country. I’m passionate, down-to-earth, approachable, straight forward but most importantly understanding and caring.
I graduated with a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Barry University. I had the opportunity to do my internship at a homeless shelter, and I have worked at a community mental health clinic. During that time, I was able to work with a variety of individuals whose problems ranged from schizophrenia to adjustment disorders and relationship issues. I have also worked at a substance abuse facility for pregnant women, and I am currently working at a residential substance abuse facility.
I specialize in working with individuals struggling with substance abuse issues; difficulty establishing healthy relationships; identifying and placing boundaries; communication skills issues, assimilation and acculturation concerns; life transitions such as retirement, breakups; low-self-esteem and trauma.
I utilize a variety of techniques, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Existential Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting (BSP), stress management, assertiveness training, and work/life balance.
I’m a huge advocate for therapy! I wholeheartedly believe that we can all benefit from maximizing our strengths and bettering our perceived weaknesses. Therapy is a great place to start when we feel life isn’t going how we envisioned it and when we wish to engage in intentional action and change.
A little about me…
I enjoy traveling and make it a point to travel to different countries at least twice a year. I love going to the farmer’s market whenever I get a chance to stock up on essential oils and candles. My favorite scent is lavender and I swear by its calming and relaxing benefits. I am a dog mom and a barre enthusiast. I also love getting good quotes from Instagram. I’ll leave you with one of my favorites…
“The way we do one thing is the way we do everything.” – Iyanla Vanzant
Specialties:
Trauma, Self-Esteem Issues, Anxiety/Depression and Substance Abuse
Trainings:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Brainspotting
Insurances accepted:
Cigna, Humana, Aetna, Corpcare, Avmed/Magellan and Multiplan