I’ve been a therapist for a long time, though I’m not as old as some of my colleagues just yet.

I specialize in chronic pain and practice Applied Strategic Therapy.

If you’re in pain or know someone who is, contact me. I’ll either help directly or refer you to someone who can. This kind of pain can resolve in very few sessions, and there’s no touch involved.

You might be shocked by my uncensored letters. My clients wouldn’t be. Show them one with your concerned face and every single one of them would say, “Yep, that’s Maya. She’s exactly the same in real life.”

I used to practice Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Just like any other bored and boring practitioner, I wasn’t getting results that were fast enough, lasting enough, or good enough. I’m a stubborn little demon in a small package, and “good enough” isn’t good enough for this cowgirl.

So I started researching my own failures, which led me straight to my colleagues’ failures, which gave my ego a nice little boost. Turns out I wasn’t the only therapist jumping through hoops for four paid sessions a week. I wasn’t the only one feeling disgusted by social media or ad bills violently draining my credit card. I wasn’t the only one scared she’d lose her practice because she couldn’t pay rent.

And I discovered that what I was taught in school was wrong. Therapy isn’t for talking, venting, and ruminating for endless hours. A client should never become a resident.

I read a book called Uncommon Therapy by Jay Haley. Through him I discovered strategic therapy, and it changed everything. I dropped what I was doing, found a training program that fit my schedule as a new mom, went hard at it, graduated from The Institute for Applied Strategic Therapy, and started seeing many more clients almost immediately. I chose to pretend I knew nothing about my own profession and rebuilt my practice exactly as I was taught in the course: referrals only. It worked.

So here’s how I work now:

I don’t sugar-coat anything. I’m empathetic and curious, and I will tell you the truth to your face whether you like it or not. I’ll reframe your reaction so fast you won’t have time to get triggered by reality.

That’s the job of a strategic therapist: find the shortest path to changing your mind and behavior, instead of verbally masturbating in front of a stranger for an hour a week for seven years, which mostly just helps them make their car payments.

Keep going to those if financial BDSM is your thing. I want my clients with me for the least amount of time possible. That is why I get so many referrals.

My fee structure is simple: $125 for the first eight sessions, usually we need much less than that.

If you need more, because every person is unique, you’d pay only $75 from session nine onwards.

I dismiss clients once they reach the results they came for. I refer out clients who waste my time dumping their mental swamp on me and refusing to engage in actual therapeutic work.

Now that you’re less shocked, here’s my sweet finish: you’re already awesome and one of a kind. You may not realize it. Your insecurities or your pain, emotional or physical, may cloud that reality. That’s exactly why I’m a therapist. To show you the light, and keep finding mine in the process.

Stay uncensored,

P.S. This site is my passion and it will not be tainted by any sort of monetization. I will not accept or respond to any sponsorship deals, advertising or “affiliate” requests. Don’t bother asking.