Maritza Alvarez-Pena

Compassionate LMFT blending evidence and empathy

LMFT California

Experience: 23 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English, Spanish

About Maritza

Maritza Alvarez-Pena is a bilingual LMFT based in California who brings 23 years of clinical experience to her work. She focuses on helping people navigate stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting challenges, and depression, drawing on a range of therapeutic methods to match each person's needs.

Background and approach

Fluent in English and Spanish, she offers supportive care for clients facing complex life transitions, chronic health concerns, relationship communication problems, and attachment or abandonment-related struggles. Her practice emphasizes collaborative exploration and practical strategies.

She integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with acceptance-oriented and attachment-informed approaches to address thoughts, emotions, and relationship patterns. Maritza frames therapy as a process of building insight and skills over time, aiming to strengthen coping, reduce distress, and improve interpersonal functioning.

Prospective clients use a subscription-based model that can be canceled at any time, and sessions are offered through video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate varied schedules and preferences.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support

Maritza commonly integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in online sessions. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, and stress management. ACT emphasizes values-driven action and learning to accept difficult emotions rather than fighting them, which supports resilience when coping with grief, chronic health issues, or ongoing stress.

She also uses attachment-informed methods to explore how relationship patterns and early bonds influence current interactions and emotional responses. Understanding these patterns can help improve communication and connection in personal relationships. Choosing the right approach is collaborative; the therapist works with each client to determine which methods best align with their needs, goals, and preferences and adjusts the plan as therapy progresses.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules or manage care from home. These formats support continuity of care and allow licensed professionals to deliver skill-building, reflective work, and problem-solving in ways that suit different learning styles and life demands.

Frequently asked questions

What types of concerns does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting concerns, and depression, plus a range of related issues such as attachment, codependency, chronic illness, and communication problems.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her approach combines practical skill-building with reflective, acceptance-oriented work. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and attachment-informed methods to tailor sessions to client goals.

How long has she been practicing?

She brings 23 years of professional experience working with people on emotional and relational challenges throughout her career.

Where is she licensed and practicing?

She holds the California LMFT license CA LMFT 138711 and practices in California.

Does she offer services in other languages or to international clients?

Services are available in English and Spanish, and she is not currently accepting international clients.

Which session formats are available?

Clients may meet via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on their needs and scheduling preferences.

How does payment and cost work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse GriefParenting issuesDepression

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

23+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English, Spanish