Maricruz Garcia, LMHC

Maricruz Garcia is a licensed mental health counselor who brings eight years of clinical experience to her work. She focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, grief, or addiction. She speaks English and Spanish and practices from New York as an LMHC.

She aims to reduce distress while teaching skills that last beyond sessions. Maricruz uses practical tools to help people manage mood, handle workplace pressure, and cope with life changes. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address unhelpful thoughts and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people live in line with their values.

Sessions are straightforward and goal-oriented. People can expect clear steps, small homework tasks, and conversations about what’s getting in the way of daily life. She also uses motivational interviewing techniques to support changes, and solution-focused methods to set realistic short-term goals.

Maricruz pays attention to cultural background and how it shapes coping and identity. She supports people dealing with multicultural concerns and the stress that can come from balancing different expectations. She also helps with workplace issues and career-related stress.

The overall focus is practical change. Maricruz works with people who want to feel more confident, return to school or work, improve relationships, or simply find more daily enjoyment. She encourages paced progress and hands-on strategies to build lasting skills.

How CBT and ACT translate to online care

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It often uses short exercises and homework to practice new ways of thinking and acting, which can help with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people clarify their values and take actions that match what matters to them. It includes mindful acceptance of difficult feelings and practical steps toward a more meaningful life, useful for coping with grief, stress, and life transitions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Maricruz will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels most useful. She combines techniques collaboratively, adjusting methods as needs change so sessions stay focused and practical.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to match different schedules and needs. Video calls are good for face-to-face conversation and guided exercises. Phone sessions can fit into a work break or require less bandwidth. Live chat and text messaging suit quick check-ins, brief coaching, or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and keep momentum between meetings.