Maritza Villacis, LCSW

New York | Online sessions in New York | English, Spanish | Book with Maritza »

Compassionate LCSW helping people navigate change

Details

Name	Maritza Villacis
Credentials	LCSW
Based in	New York
Licensed in	New York
Session format	Online
Languages	English, Spanish
Years in practice	15

About Maritza

Maritza Villacis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York. She offers a warm, down-to-earth approach aimed at helping people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or exhausted by life changes. Maritza speaks English and Spanish and focuses on making conversations feel natural and human rather than clinical.

Her practice centers on practical work to relieve stress, anxiety, depression, and grief. She also helps people coping with trauma, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strain, sleep problems, and career stress.

Background and approach

Maritza often supports clients dealing with caregiver fatigue, blended family concerns, body image worries, and the isolation that can come with major life transitions. Maritza combines Narrative Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness tools to help people tell their stories differently and try new behaviors.

She also draws on Emotionally-Focused ideas and elements from the Gottman Method when relationship patterns are part of the problem. Sessions are conversational and focused on small, doable changes between meetings. With 15 years of clinical experience, Maritza values connection as the starting point for change.

She describes counseling as the beginning of a healing journey that can be hard at times, and she partners with people who are ready to do the work. Her style is straightforward, compassionate, and guided by practical goals. Maritza offers video, phone, live chat, and text messaging formats to fit different schedules and needs.

She aims to respond promptly to messages and to work with clients to find meeting times that suit their routines.

What this therapist works with

Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief among the things Maritza works with, alongside the areas below.

Approaches listed

Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Maritza among the ways she works.
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Maritza among the ways she works.
Gottman Method: Listed by Maritza among the ways she works.
Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Maritza among the ways she works.
Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Maritza among the ways she works.
Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Maritza among the ways she works.
Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Maritza directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.

Narrative Therapy in this listing

Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.

If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Maritza directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.

Online session options

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Maritza often uses Narrative Therapy to help people rewrite the stories they tell about themselves. This approach looks at the problem as separate from the person and encourages new meanings and options for action. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and test small behavior changes that can reduce anxiety and depression. Emotionally-Focused ideas are sometimes brought in to help people notice and shift interaction patterns that cause distance or repeated conflict.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Maritza collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. She checks in about what feels useful and adapts methods over time so therapy stays practical and relevant.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for in-depth conversations and emotional work, while phone sessions can be easier on bandwidth or when a quieter environment is needed. Live chat and text messaging are good for shorter check-ins, between-session coaching, or when writing feels more comfortable. These options make it easier to schedule therapy around work, caregiving, and other daily demands.

Common questions about this listing

What kinds of concerns does this therapist help with?

She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strain, sleep problems, career transitions, and caregiver or compassion fatigue.

What is the therapist's general approach or style?

The work is conversational and practical, combining Narrative Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral techniques and mindfulness. Sessions focus on reauthoring personal stories and trying small behavior changes between meetings.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has 15 years of clinical experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and extensive prior work with survivors of domestic violence, seniors, and people in shelter settings.

Where is the therapist based and what credential do they hold?

She is licensed in New York as an LCSW and practices from that state.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.

What session formats are available?

Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to match different schedules and needs.

How are fees and billing handled?

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

How do I begin working with this therapist?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on therapist availability.

Contacting this therapist

Sessions with Maritza are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Maritza where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.

Book with Maritza »

Or see other therapists in New York »

This is a partner link. We will earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.