Maya Handwerk
Practical, culturally aware clinical social worker
LCSW New York
- Experience
- 15 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Maya
Maya Handwerk is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 15 years of experience offering advocacy and clinical care across education, legal, and community settings.
Background and approach
She has focused much of her work on families and children facing crisis and on supporting youth with significant emotional challenges, often collaborating with psychiatrists when treating anxiety and related conditions.
Her practice addresses a wide range of concerns including stress, depression, bipolar disorder, grief, trauma and abuse, relationship and family difficulties, parenting struggles, anger, career transition, and coping with life changes.
Her approach draws from evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), client-centered and solution-focused strategies, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic ideas to tailor care to each person's needs. Maya emphasizes cultural competence and has particular experience working with African American clients and people from the Caribbean Islands.
She aims to create a respectful, strengths-based space where practical skills and deeper personal understanding can be developed in tandem.
Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Care
Many clients benefit from learning practical tools through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathic listening and validation, helping people clarify their own goals and feel supported while they work through difficult emotions. Mindfulness Therapy teaches techniques for present-moment awareness and stress reduction that can help with worry, anger, and coping with life changes.Deciding which approach fits best is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to consider their needs, goals, and preferences and may integrate elements from different methods to create a tailored plan. Treatment often combines skill-building with exploration of life patterns so clients gain both immediate strategies and longer-term insight.
Online sessions via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging offer flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care during busy periods or life transitions, and they allow licensed professionals to deliver the same evidence-informed approaches in ways that match a client's routine and communication style.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does this therapist commonly address?
What is the therapist's style in sessions?
How much clinical experience does the therapist have?
What are the therapist's credentials and location?
Which languages are sessions offered in and can international clients join?
In what formats are sessions available?
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
What are the first steps to begin working together?
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Licensed
New York
Languages
English