Maria DeBonis-Richards, MSED, CT
She/Her

I offer a warm, down-to-earth space where you can feel truly heard and supported. I show up authentically, drawing from both professional training and personal experience, and I believe therapy works best when you feel safe to be honest and are ready to engage in your own growth. Humor, curiosity, and reflection are tools I use to help make the process meaningful—even when the work is hard.

My approach is integrative and person-centered, grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and shaped by humanistic and existential perspectives. I help clients clarify their values, recognize their strengths, and explore patterns and messages from past experiences. Often, my questions spark insight that leads to meaningful reflection and personal growth.

Before pursuing licensure, I spent over 15 years in career counseling, supporting adults and college students through major life transitions, identity exploration, and reconnecting with what matters most. I’ve also worked extensively in grief and loss—facilitating children’s grief groups through Full Circle Grief Center, leading widow loss groups with Full Circle and Bliley’s Funeral Home, volunteering with Comfort Zone Camp, and serving as an End-of-Life Doula and certified foster parent. I am a Certified Thanatologist through ADEC, a credential earned through more than 1,700 hours of specialized training, continuing education, and a comprehensive exam. This work has deepened my understanding of the emotional, psychological, cultural, and spiritual aspects of death, dying, and bereavement.

I work best with reflective, motivated clients navigating grief, caregiving, major life transitions, anxiety or depression, relationship or family challenges, involvement in the foster care system, or the emotional impact of medical diagnoses. My goal is to offer a space where your experience is met with honesty, compassion, and steady support—helping you process loss, adjust to change, and move forward with insight and respect for your story.

I hold a Master of Science in Education in Counseling from Fordham University in New York and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Professional Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University.