- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
About Macarena
Macarena Santelices is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) with 14 years of experience. She is licensed in California and Maryland and works with adults on common struggles such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, and parenting challenges. Her practice also addresses issues like self-esteem, motivation, and coping with life changes.
She focuses on practical steps clients can use day to day. Sessions look at patterns that keep people stuck and build specific skills to respond differently. She names problems plainly and helps clients try small changes that add up over time.
Her approach draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and mindfulness strategies. That mix is used to address things like mood shifts, difficulty managing impulses, and feelings of isolation or low self-worth. She also works with concerns related to abandonment, attachment, and body image.
Macarena emphasizes collaborative work. She treats clients as the experts on their own lives and partners with them to set realistic goals. She will discuss options and adapt techniques so they fit what the client is actually able to do between sessions.
She does not provide trauma therapy and asks people seeking trauma-focused work to find a therapist who specializes in that area. To begin, the site process asks clients to complete a short questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How CBT, DBT and Mindfulness inform online sessions
CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, focuses on identifying and changing thought patterns and behaviors that maintain distress. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and unhelpful guilt by breaking problems into manageable steps and testing new ways of thinking.DBT, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, teaches specific skills for regulating intense emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness. It can help with impulsivity, relationship conflict, and strong shame responses by practicing concrete skills in real life.
Mindfulness Therapy trains attention to the present moment and to bodily experience. Simple awareness practices can reduce rumination and make difficult feelings feel less overwhelming over time.
Deciding which approach to emphasize is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they will try methods that fit the person’s daily life and adjust the plan as needed.
The biography does not list specific online session formats. Please confirm the available options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so work or caregiving breaks are easier to use for appointments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Listed in
California, Maryland
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family concerns, parenting, low self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Additional areas include abandonment, attachment issues, body image, and guilt and shame.
How would she approach feelings of guilt or shame?
She uses techniques from CBT, DBT, and mindfulness to help people notice unhelpful thoughts, practice alternative responses, and build emotional regulation skills. Work is practical and focused on what clients can try between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She has 14 years of professional experience working with adult clients on mood, anxiety, relationship, and life transition concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She holds LCPC and LPCC credentials and is licensed in California and Maryland.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and services use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with a first session?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session through the site process.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.