Dr. Maria Clapp, LMHC

Dr. Maria Clapp is a licensed mental health counselor with 25 years of experience helping people work through stress, anxiety, addictions, and life transitions. She is based in Florida and speaks English and Spanish. She focuses on building a straightforward, respectful relationship to help people make practical changes that fit their lives.

Her work centers on listening first and then setting clear, achievable goals together. She uses client-centered and solution-focused ideas alongside cognitive behavioral techniques to tackle problems like depression, anger, or substance misuse. Motivational interviewing helps when someone is unsure about change, and trauma-focused methods are used when past hurt keeps showing up in daily life.

She has supported people dealing with parenting challenges, caregiver stress, blended family issues, and grief. She has also worked with those facing legal requirements related to anger or substance issues. Her background includes programs in parenting and anger management and experience assisting people on the autism spectrum who struggle with social interactions.

Dr. Clapp holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, a master’s in Mental Health Counseling, and a bachelor’s in Psychology. She approaches therapy practically, helping people identify small steps that add up to real relief. Sessions are approached with respect for each person’s culture and goals.

International clients may be accepted and sessions are available in English and Spanish. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.

How therapeutic approaches fit into online care

Client-centered therapy emphasizes the person27s own goals and priorities. In practice this means the therapist listens closely, reflects what she hears, and helps the person set the pace and topics for work together. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns; it often helps with anxiety, depression, and anger. Motivational interviewing is a collaborative method that helps people find their own reasons to change, which can be useful for addictions or stages of ambivalence.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and then use one or a combination of these methods. Decisions about techniques are made together so the plan fits the person27s needs and life circumstances.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm the session formats offered before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow check-ins between in-person commitments. It can also make shorter or more frequent appointments easier to arrange when needed. Licensed professionals adapt exercises, homework, and skill practice to work well in remote sessions so the therapy stays practical and goal-oriented.