Maritza Villacis, LCSW

Maritza Villacis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York who brings a grounded, compassionate approach to counseling. She has extensive experience working with veterans, spouses, and staff, and earlier in her career she provided services to survivors of domestic violence, people in shelter placement, seniors, and children. She is known for being down-to-earth and prioritizes genuine human connection over clinical jargon, creating space for clients to feel understood and comfortable rather than talked at.

Villacis integrates a range of therapeutic methods to tailor care to each person she meets, drawing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness practices, Client-Centered and Supportive techniques, and other structured approaches. She describes her work as spiritually guided, using that orientation to support clients as they navigate difficult emotions and life transitions. She frames counseling as the beginning of a healing journey that can be challenging, and she commits to supporting clients who are ready to engage in that work.

In practice, Villacis emphasizes responsiveness and flexibility. She aims to reply to messages promptly, notes that there may be rare times when she is unavailable, and will follow up when urgent issues arise. She works collaboratively with clients to find scheduling solutions and offers sessions by phone and video. Maritza Villacis invites those who are prepared to begin meaningful change to connect and begin the work of making sense of and coping with their experiences.

She often closes by remembering the words of Maya Angelou: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."