Mary Maldonado-plascencia, LCSW

Mary Maldonado-plascencia, LCSW

Psychotherapist
CA
Hello, my name is Mary Denise! As a therapist, I believe each of us hold the answers to healing with in us. During our journey in the therapeutic process my role is to guide and support clients toward the realization of healing. With 30 years of experience serving children, adolescents, and caregivers in a multitude of situations and environments where trauma, depression, anxiety, grief & loss, rejection, crisis, and failure to succeed in educational settings, I have practiced empowering youth and families grow in courage, strength, and knowledge. The journey: To regain hope for the future through discovery and empowerment. Working in partnership, goals will be identified and clarified so that a clear plan can be formulated and actualized. Utilization of various therapeutic interventions (talk, art, role play, music, writing, games) facilitates a safe environment for youth and families to actively engage in the therapeutic process. Today’s youth and families are faced with a multitude of influences, experiences, and expected and unexpected circumstances at unprecedented speed. When life gets overwhelming and daily life becomes unbearable, know that you do not have to go on the journey alone. Working together, healing, hope, and empowerment to overcome challenges can be achieved: One Chapter at a time! I have 30 years of experience working with children and families in crisis, transitions, and in accessing educational supports in the California public school system. My non-judgmental trauma-informed approach enables youth and caregivers to join the therapeutic relationship and progress toward healing, hope, and empowerment.

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About Mary Maldonado-plascencia

Focus areas

Adoption Counseling
Depression
Self Esteem Issues
Anxiety
Life Transition
Stress
Bereavement / Grief Counseling
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Clientele seen

Teenagers (13-17)
Individuals
Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)

Treatment approaches

Art Therapy
Experiential Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Mindfulness-Based (MBCT)
Dialectical (DBT)
Person-Centered

Identity

Gender

Female

Languages spoken

English

Getting to know Mary Maldonado-plascencia

Hello, my name is Mary Denise! As a therapist, I believe each of us hold the answers to healing with in us. During our journey in the therapeutic process my role is to guide and support clients toward the realization of healing. With 30 years of experience serving children, adolescents, and caregivers in a multitude of situations and environments where trauma, depression, anxiety, grief & loss, rejection, crisis, and failure to succeed in educational settings, I have practiced empowering youth and families grow in courage, strength, and knowledge. The journey: To regain hope for the future through discovery and empowerment. Working in partnership, goals will be identified and clarified so that a clear plan can be formulated and actualized. Utilization of various therapeutic interventions (talk, art, role play, music, writing, games) facilitates a safe environment for youth and families to actively engage in the therapeutic process. Today’s youth and families are faced with a multitude of influences, experiences, and expected and unexpected circumstances at unprecedented speed. When life gets overwhelming and daily life becomes unbearable, know that you do not have to go on the journey alone. Working together, healing, hope, and empowerment to overcome challenges can be achieved: One Chapter at a time! I have 30 years of experience working with children and families in crisis, transitions, and in accessing educational supports in the California public school system. My non-judgmental trauma-informed approach enables youth and caregivers to join the therapeutic relationship and progress toward healing, hope, and empowerment.

What should a new client know about working with you?

Clients describe me as energetic, reflective, interactive, and empowering. You can expect our journey to be filled with compassion, insight, structure, and creativity in interventions and tools utilized. I believe each client's situation is unique and deserves a personalized plan that will facilitate healing, hope, and empowerment while preserving integrity, respect, culture, and self-efficacy. My vast experience in working with children and families in crisis, transitions, and in accessing educational supports in the California public school system has strengthened my passion for empowering and supporting youth and families. Collaboration with agencies serving youth and families (Juvenile Probation, Child Protective Services, Victim Witness, Social Services, Law Enforcement, Orange County Mental Health - CYS and other mental health providers, Homeless Shelters, and Hospitals) has deepened my commitment to provide mental health services to those in need. I have an ethical responsibility to do my part to support the alleviation of waitlisted mental health services for those in need. I'm a firm believer in prevention and access for all, especially for our marginalized members in our communities. Challenging situations can present us with diminishing hope for the future. Clients have taught me that sometimes, we all need support in rekindling hope and happiness for our future and that during life's most challenging moments, we need reminders that situations and circumstances are moments in time and NOT permanent. The most rewarding aspects of my work is when clients allow me to guide them in the therapeutic process, and then witnessing clients gain strength, empowerment, and personal growth through the therapeutic journey.

What is your typical process for working with clients?

The initial session in our journey will be one of introduction and discovery. We will discuss legally required information and sign informed consent documents, discuss initial questions or concerns, and together discuss and discover the event(s) that have brought us together for the therapeutic journey. Together, we will formulate an initial treatment plan that addresses the most current pressing challenge(s). In our journey together, the treatment plan will be adjusted as needed based on progress toward identified goals. The use of evidence-based measurements and client self-reporting will facilitate a baseline to measure progress throughout the therapeutic journey. The initial session in our therapeutic journey will be one of introduction and discovery. We will discuss legally required information and sign informed consent documents, discuss initial questions or concerns, and together discuss and discover the event(s) that have brought us together for the therapeutic journey. I believe that in order for the therapeutic journey to be successful, there must be a "good fit" between client and therapist. Therefore, we will spend time gathering information about experiences in the biological, psychological, and social realms of your past and present. We will also discuss and explore your expectations of the therapeutic journey. The goal of our initial session will be to determine if we will proceed together as a "good fit" in the therapeutic process and then schedule our next session.

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Popular visit reasons

Hoarding Disorder
New Patient Visit
Pain Management Consultation
Pre-Move In Couples Counseling
Psychosexual Evaluation
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy Intake / Initial Visit
Sleep Problems
Hoarding Disorder
New Patient Visit
Pain Management Consultation
Pre-Move In Couples Counseling

Education and background

Practice names

Education and training

  • University of Southern California, Master's in Social Work

NPI number

1396554838

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Frequently asked questions

How soon can I make an appointment with Mary Maldonado-plascencia?

Generally, Mary Maldonado-plascencia has appointments available on Zocdoc within 1 week. You can see Mary Maldonado-plascencia's earliest availability on Zocdoc and make an appointment online.

Is Mary Maldonado-plascencia accepting new patients?

Mary Maldonado-plascencia generally accepts new patients on Zocdoc. You can see Mary Maldonado-plascencia's earliest availability on Zocdoc and schedule an appointment online.

Does Mary Maldonado-plascencia accept my insurance?

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What practice does Mary Maldonado-plascencia work with?

What are common reasons for patients to see Mary Maldonado-plascencia?

Mary Maldonado-plascencia frequently sees patients for New Patient Visit, Pain Management Consultation, Psychotherapy, Psychotherapy Intake / Initial Visit, and Sleep Problems. You can see other visit reasons for Mary Maldonado-plascencia on their profile.

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