Hello, I am Maria Walker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2011, living and practicing in the state of Georgia for the past 18 years. There are some things I would love for you to know about me as you consider embarking upon a mutually respectful relationship in therapy. I have a strong commitment to serving those who are at a vulnerable place in their lives, or who are simply seeking greater awareness of self by exploring their goals and barriers to achieving those goals. I strive to practice in a culturally sensitive manner by learning from my clients and keeping up to date on current trends amidst a forever evolving humanity. I stress the idea of giving at least equal, if not more energy and consideration to the positive possibilities, as we are often naturally drawn to give to the negative. My person centered, solution focused approach suggests that when the therapist and client have built an alliance, together they are able to consider the exceptions to every problem in conjunction with a clear vision for preferred outcomes, and determine viable solutions. It is my firm belief that we are a compilation of all of our life’s experiences, good bad and otherwise. However, we are empowered to make some mindful, conscientious choices and utilize our resources to propel us into the positive futures we envision for ourselves. With an innate love for helping and standing upon the values and ethics inherent in my field of study and my profession, I respect each client’s uniqueness and consider every aspect of their individuality in determining the most effective, personalized interventions.
I have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, from the University of Georgia (UGA) and a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). In my over 25 years of practicing in the field of social work, I have been exposed to a variety of settings, populations, and leadership styles, including teaching social work at a collegiate level, case management, administration, working with people with disabilities, LGBTQ, adolescents, adults, geriatrics, in-patient hospital, community counseling, college counseling, marketing, facilitating groups, crisis intervention, and hospice. My various practice experiences allow me to connect with people on all levels with varied backgrounds, and hence varied life challenges. I utilize Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches as the basis for my practice. I also use Dialectical Behavior Therapy tools to guide my practice interventions. I am comfortable incorporating one’s spiritual influences within the scope of their individual needs.
If you are seeking to genuinely connect with a warm, authentic, enthusiastic clinician who fosters a transparent, trustworthy, and non-judgmental therapeutic atmosphere, I am that clinician.
Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Relationship issues, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Parenting issues, Anger management, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Compassion fatigue, ADHD