all about maya
Hi, I’m Maya and I believe in something that you may not feel yet– you are not broken, there is nothing to “fix.” When we switch our lens from treating you like a problem that needs to be solved to leading with genuine compassionate curiosity for your internal world, that’s where the magic happens–that’s when you start connecting with parts of yourself you may not have even known were there all this time.
There is a world of wisdom in your pain – What you have learned about yourself and the world and how you’ve learned to keep yourself safe and get by. That innate search for safety can look like hiding essential parts of yourself that you were taught are not okay, or learning to go numb or to keep things to yourself to avoid the pain of not being met in your feelings and needs. Underneath these brilliant strategies is something deeper inside you, something that has been love-starved for far too long.
Truly getting a sense of what your body has been carrying can come with anger, sadness, even grief. But in allowing yourself to feel it, something begins to open.
I believe that healing doesn’t follow a straight path and it might not always feel pretty. It involves cultivating self-kindness and listening to our inner wisdom, a continuous process, especially in a world that can feel persistently painful and uncertain. I feel honored to walk alongside my clients on this winding, uneven, yet beautiful journey of remembering and reconnecting, moving toward healing and transformation.
how I work
As a somatic-based therapist trained in trauma focused family therapy, I am attuned to the core experiences, relationships, and systems that shape the person I see in front of me. Together we carefully explore how these facets are embedded in worldview, sense of self, and where it is stored in your body. Utilizing an Internal Family Systems approach coupled with Hakomi techniques, we get to make contact with and tend to the feelings that are present in the moment like it is a living breathing tender thing.
I believe in the power of meeting a question with a deeper question. While it may feel tempting to rush through emotions to get to solutions, I’ve found that slowing down, remaining curious, and truly listening to a feeling allows a deeply genuine truth to emerge naturally—and with it, true and lasting transformation. I see it as my responsibility to foster a safe and nurturing space where slowing down and staying with what arises feels less intimidating.
Working from a relational perspective also involves gently practicing new experiences of safety, care, and self empowerment within our connection in real time. With warmth, compassion, and a trauma-informed approach, I stay attuned to moments that feel like safe openings to encourage exploration of something different—whether expressed through language or through inner and outer movement.
At the core, we are all human. Being human and alive is inherently complex and sometimes calls for humility. When we honor the ongoing process of growth, it creates space for genuine surprise and joy within healing. Nothing feels more meaningful to me than witnessing a client’s journey, delighting in their process, and holding their moments of insight with a sense of wonder and appreciation.
Professional Training & Credentials
Education + Trainings
- LCSW, Hunter College, Silberman School of Social Work
- Hakomi Institute - Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy Training - Year 2 Student
- Ackerman Institute for the Family Dual Program - Graduate
"Maya is so real. It’s so refreshing to meet a therapist that really gets it"
- client
"Maya has taught me how to be curious about my feelings"
- client
"Instead of feeling totally consumed by a feeling I think about what Maya might say and practice asking myself: what is the feeling holding and what might it be protecting"
- client
From my own personal experience of healing and understanding the deep importance of feeling seen
What inspired me to become a therapist
Checking out an obscure movie or band, planning a hiking trip upstate, knitting something strangely shaped
When I’m not in the therapist chair, you can probably find me:
Long aimless walks through the city, singing along to music, my beloved heated blanket
Three things that keep me grounded:
I am by/in/around a body of water
I feel awe when:
Extroverted introvert! I love people, but I need solo Maya time to recharge
Introvert or Extravert?
Beyond the Credentials
maya's
