Maria Carmen Fiduk

My name Maria Carmen Fiduk, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of California. I have been practicing therapy for over five years and thoroughly enjoy working with motivated individuals who are determined to make lasting changes in their lives. I am bilingual in Spanish and focus on helping clients experiencing issues with depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, intimate partner violence, behavior, coping skills, family conflict, parenting and kinship, self-esteem, anger management, codependency, life transitions, relationship issues, and stress.

My approach

I believe every individual case is different and adapt my approach based on your need. The most common theoretical approaches I have used in my work include Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Psychodynamic Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Mindfulness Practices

My focus

I typically work with clients experiencing social anxiety, relationship anxiety, generalized anxiety, depression, childhood trauma, and insecure attachment. Over the course of the past two to three years, I have experienced a surge in individuals seeking support to manage their anxiety. As a result, I have become more well-versed in understanding the different ways anxiety can present and in finding the right interventions to help each client learn their own individual anxiety and adopt healthy and productive coping skills

My communication style

I thoroughly believe in the power of self-compassion and understanding as a basis for change, so I thrive to establish a safe and non-judgmental space for my clients to explore their challenges as well as their goals for improvement. I believe therapy is an artform that can allow room for processing of challenging feelings, as well as exploring successes and wins. I tell my clients, my job is to not have a job, so I work hard to make sure I help my clients build skills that are realistic for them so that they feel empowered to solve problems on their own.

My journey to mental healthcare

I am passionate about my job because I believe that every individual has inherent value and deserves to have someone who will listen and reflect that value back to them. I have seen time and time again the power that self-compassion, effective communication, and self-accountability for change can have on someone and I strive to help my clients embark on their journey. I became a therapist and continue to practice in order to support individuals who are seeking to become better versions of themselves, and to make it accessible to as many as possible. Because, while pronouncing my last name may be difficult, accessing good quality therapy should not be a challenge.

My goals for you

In collaboration, I work hard to establish realistic and measurable goals so that we can track successes and plan for challenges. Even if the main goal is simply "to be happy", we explore what that means for you, what makes you happy, and how we can help get you there.

My first session with you

I approach the first session with open and transparent communication and collaboration. I spend most of the first session getting to know you and how your challenges impair the most important parts of your life.