Ana Maria Berryman, LCSW

Ana Maria Berryman is a licensed clinical social worker who uses practical, evidence-informed methods to help people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and major life changes. She speaks English and Spanish and brings 21 years of clinical experience to her practice in California. Her approach aims to make the first steps of therapy straightforward and manageable for people who are unsure where to begin.

Ana Maria focuses on clear conversation and steady support. She helps people name difficult feelings and test small changes in thought and behavior. Sessions are intended to be a calm place to talk through grief, burnout from caregiving or first responder work, and the heavy fatigue that comes from giving so much of oneself to others.

She draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and on attachment-based work to look at how relationships shape reactions. Mindfulness practices are used to bring attention into the present moment, and psychodynamic ideas help connect current problems to past experiences when that feels useful.

Ana Maria aims to build simple, realistic strategies you can try between sessions. She will work with each person to set short-term goals and track small wins. The focus is on practical changes that reduce daily distress and improve coping skills.

People who contact her often bring concerns like postpartum depression, social anxiety, isolation, guilt, or issues around communication and commitment. She also supports those dealing with hospice and end-of-life decisions, multicultural stressors, and the complex feelings that follow separation or divorce.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Ana Maria uses cognitive behavioral approaches to help people notice thoughts that increase anxiety or sadness and to practice different responses. CBT techniques online can include tracking thoughts, trying new behaviors between sessions, and reviewing what changes worked best.

She also uses attachment-based ideas to explore how past relationships affect current reactions and connections. That work often focuses on patterns in relationships, communication habits, and how to build more secure ways of relating to others.

Finding the right approach is part of therapy. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their needs, goals, and comfort. Together they can try different tools and adjust the plan as progress is made.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video allows face-to-face conversation; phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier during a busy day; live chat and text messaging let people send quick updates or have shorter check-ins between appointments. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a hectic schedule and maintain momentum between meetings.