- Client-Centered Therapy
- Life transitions
- Body image work
About Maria
Maria Patania is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in New Jersey with 28 years of clinical experience. She works with adults who are coping with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, eating and self-esteem concerns. She also addresses guilt and shame as part of emotional struggles people bring to therapy.
Maria uses a straightforward, person-focused method that helps people talk through what feels stuck. Sessions tend to center on what matters now - difficult feelings, life changes, and patterns that keep repeating. She focuses on clear, practical steps people can try between meetings.
Her background includes long experience across life stages, so she is familiar with issues that often come later in life as well as transitions like separation or caregiving stress. Maria also helps people who are facing body image problems, seasonal mood changes, or the emotional effects of brain injury.
In a typical meeting she listens for the specific beliefs and memories that feed guilt or shame, and then helps a person test and reframe those thoughts. Conversations can include looking at behavior around food, rebuilding self-worth, or finding smaller, manageable shifts to daily routines. She encourages steady, realistic goals rather than quick fixes.
Clients who choose her often want a calm, experienced clinician to help them sort feelings and plan next steps. Her practice is based in New Jersey and she sees adults who need help with the kinds of concerns listed above.
How client-centered work transfers to online therapy
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening closely and reflecting back what a person says. That approach helps when someone is carrying guilt or shame because it prioritizes understanding the person's perspective and values before suggesting changes.In practice this means the therapist will ask about moments when the difficult feeling appears, what thoughts accompany it, and what small steps the person is willing to try. For issues like depression, anxiety, eating concerns, or life transitions, the focus is on one clear goal at a time and on testing practical adjustments between sessions.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and day-to-day constraints, and then recommend how to proceed. This is a collaborative process that may change as the client's needs evolve.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce time spent traveling. Therapists and licensed professionals often use online sessions to keep progress steady while fitting the work into everyday life.
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 she work with?
She works with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, eating and self-esteem issues, and also addresses guilt and shame.
How does she approach feelings of guilt or shame?
She listens for the thoughts and memories that feed those feelings, then helps people test and reframe them while planning small behavioral steps to try between sessions.
What is her clinical background?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 28 years of experience working with adults across different life stages.
Where does she practice and what credential does she hold?
She practices in New Jersey and holds an LCSW credential issued in that state.
Are sessions offered in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not specify which formats are offered.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.