Maria Chappelear

I have been a licensed therapist for many years, and I thoroughly enjoy accompanying people on their journey of growth. I enjoy going on journeys of every kind, whether personal growth journeys, raising a family, backpacking in Yosemite, or other adventures near and far. Life and travels all present us with opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Along with doing individual therapy, I have worked in the school and special education arena and also have a background in business management.

My approach

I believe all people have the capacity for growth and that through support and looking at our thoughts, and we can learn to live our best lives. I use a Cognitive Behavioral Approach with a Supportive and Humanistic perspective. Our thoughts can spur us to growth and also can become repetitive and keep us repeating patterns we would like to leave behind. I am also drawn to Positive Psychology and the study of what makes people happy and satisfied.

My focus

The ideal client is on a journey of self-discovery and growth. They are honest in session and report back if something isn't working for them. An honest collaboration between the two of us makes the work more successful and productive.

My communication style

I believe in being honest and caring with my clients. I listen to gain perspective on the client's experience and understand things from their unique point of view. We all see things through the lens of our beliefs and our history. I am willing to share other potential perspectives also to open up the many possibilities in any situation.

My journey to mental healthcare

I was drawn to therapy by a desire to help people and stay in the field because every person has their own interesting story, and how that story and their history lead to their present is endlessly fascinating.

My goals for you

I believe each person defines their own goals and measurements of progress. Typically more joy in life and less pain are therapeutic goals many agree on, but each person has a right to define for themselves what goals they have and what success looks like.

My first session with you

In the first session, I would like to learn as much about a client as possible. First, I want to listen to see why they are coming to therapy now. What is happening in their lives at the moment that they are most concerned with and what are their goals. Then I will ask background questions to understand the client as a whole person better.