Maria Aurora San Pedro is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist located in San Diego, CA. Maria brings a culturally sensitive approach to working with individuals, as she draws from her own experience being a first generation Asian American. She helps her clients cope with overwhelming levels of stress, especially the stress that comes from trying to balance multiple roles - partner, parent, friend, and worker. She has extensive experience and training in helping mothers and new mothers to manage their emotions throughout raising their children. She also has experience working with trauma survivors who would like to grow their mental health.
Maria practices Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), two thought-based therapy modalities that teach clients how to identify negative thought patterns that lead to low self-esteem and high stress. She also encourages clients to let go of the self-criticism or the perfectionism that leads to feeling unworthy, less than, or burnt out. Clients learn how to decrease their stress levels, as Maria introduces them to various coping strategies that can help them relax or ground themselves. Maria also brings Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to her clients, helping them reflect on their values and make healthy changes towards living through those values. She incorporates mindfulness exercises along the way, including breathwork, visualization, and body scans.
Maria sees mental health as a garden - and she provides clients with the reflections, support, and skills they need to grow their garden so it thrives. She creates a warm, safe environment in her sessions, and is an empathetic and kind therapist who strives to show her clients how resilient and strong they are.
