Maria Clara Salazar-Pretto, LCSW

Maria Clara Salazar-Pretto is a licensed clinical social worker with twenty years of experience. She speaks both English and Spanish and aims to make therapy straightforward and practical. Maria Clara focuses on common life stresses, trauma and abuse, relationships, grief, and issues like anxiety, depression, and parenting concerns.

She frames work in a client-centered, goal-oriented way. Sessions focus on real steps people can use right away. She uses tools from cognitive behavioral work, solution-focused methods, mindfulness, and dialectical skills to help clients manage emotions and change unhelpful patterns.

Maria Clara has worked in hospitals, health centers, and private agencies. Her training includes a master’s degree from California State University, Fresno and an undergraduate degree in clinical psychology. She draws on those settings to offer practical strategies that fit everyday life.

Therapy with her centers on listening, validation, and clear goals. She uses active listening and reflection while helping people learn skills for regulation, communication, and coping. The aim is to open new pathways toward a steadier sense of wellbeing.

She welcomes people from different cultural backgrounds and finds bilingual ability useful in connecting across cultures. To begin, she asks for a short matching process so sessions can be scheduled to match your needs and timing.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Maria Clara commonly uses Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Solution-Focused Therapy in her practice. Client-centered work focuses on listening, acceptance, and building a trusting relationship so people can set their own goals. CBT looks at thoughts and behaviors, offering concrete exercises to change unhelpful patterns and manage anxiety or depression. Solution-focused work zeroes in on small, practical steps and measurable goals to create change quickly.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. She will discuss goals, preferences, and what has helped you before, then suggest an approach or mix of methods. This is a collaborative decision and can be adjusted as progress is made.

Online therapy can help fit sessions into a busy life by reducing travel time and making scheduling easier. It also makes it possible to meet from different locations and to keep contact with a licensed professional across time zones. Confirm the current session formats and scheduling options before booking so you know what to expect. Sessions are designed to focus on skill-building, emotion regulation, communication, and coping strategies that translate into everyday routines.