Maria Gimenez-Cruz, LCSW - Therapist in Florida

About Maria

Maria Gimenez-Cruz is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people navigating family and parenting challenges. She focuses on practical steps parents and caregivers can use when stress, anxiety, grief, or relationship strain makes daily life harder. Sessions are offered in English and Spanish and she works with clients by phone, video, chat, or text depending on preference.

Maria takes a calm, straightforward approach. She listens first to understand what is most pressing.

Background and approach

Then she helps identify strengths and teaches skills that can be used at home. Conversations are tailored to each person’s needs and paced to feel manageable. Her clinical methods include client-centered and cognitive behavioral techniques.

She also uses mindfulness and narrative tools to help people reframe difficult experiences. Motivational interviewing is part of the work when clients want support making lasting changes. With nine years of experience as an LCSW - licensed clinical social worker - she brings practical experience to parenting and family concerns.

Maria blends skill-building with compassionate support so people feel heard while they learn what works for them. Common issues she addresses include stress, trauma and abuse, ADHD, sleep problems, anger, and coping with life changes. She also supports people dealing with family separation, attachment or abandonment worries, immigration stress, and compassion fatigue.

To begin, a short matching questionnaire is used and sessions are scheduled according to therapist availability. Fees vary by location and the service uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How therapeutic methods translate to online care

Maria frequently uses client-centered therapy, which focuses on listening and building a respectful relationship. This approach helps people feel understood and guides the work toward their goals. It is especially useful for parents who want practical, supportive guidance.

She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy - CBT - to identify unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. CBT offers clear exercises and homework that can be used between sessions to manage anxiety, sleep issues, or anger. Mindfulness techniques are used to develop simple practices for calming the body and reducing reactivity in stressful parenting moments.

Choosing the right approach is a team effort. Maria works with each person to decide what methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Together they adjust strategies over time so the work stays relevant and doable.

Online therapy offers flexibility for busy family schedules. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation from home. Phone sessions and live chat work when video is not possible, and text-based messaging can help maintain momentum between appointments. These options make it easier to fit consistent support into daily life and practice new skills in real situations.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Mindfulness Therapy

Attention training: noticing thoughts and physical feelings as they arrive without being carried off by them. Much of it is practice you do yourself, so guidance over video or audio works much as it would in person.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she address?

She works with a range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family issues, parenting, sleep problems, ADHD, grief, and coping with life changes.

How would she describe her therapy style?

Her style is collaborative and down-to-earth. She listens first, then teaches skills and helps people practice tools that fit their daily life.

What is her background in clinical work?

Maria has nine years of clinical experience working with individuals, couples, and families on common mental health and parenting concerns.

What are her credentials and where is she located?

She is an LCSW - licensed clinical social worker - with license number FL LCSW SW16383 and practices from Florida.

Which languages are supported in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.

What session formats are available?

Sessions can be conducted by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs.

How are sessions paid for?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I start therapy with her?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Abandonment
ADHD
Anger management
Attachment issues
Compassion fatigue
Coping with life changes
Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
Depression
Divorce and separation
Family conflicts
Forgiveness
Grief
Guilt and shame
Immigration issues
Parenting issues
Post-traumatic stress
Relationship issues
Sleeping disorders
Social anxiety and phobia
Somatization

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 9 years
Licensed: Florida
Languages: English, Spanish

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