Maria Clara Salazar-Pretto , LCSW

Maria Clara Salazar-Pretto is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 20 years of experience supporting people across the lifespan, from young adults to senior citizens. She has worked in hospitals, health centers, and private agencies, bringing clinical training and real-world experience to each therapeutic relationship.

She earned a master’s degree from California State University, Fresno in 1993 and completed an undergraduate major in clinical psychology. Raised within both Colombian Spanish and U.S. English cultures, she draws on bilingual and bicultural insight to connect with clients from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Her approach blends client-centered care with goal-oriented techniques, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Systems Theory, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and a humanistic framework. These methods emphasize practical skills for regulating emotions, shifting unhelpful thinking, and building new pathways toward a more satisfying life. CBT work focuses on identifying and changing patterns of thinking and behavior that contribute to stress and mood challenges.

In sessions she emphasizes validation, empathy, active listening, and reflective feedback in a nonjudgmental setting. She invites prospective clients to take an initial step toward growth and frames therapy as a collaborative process aimed at helping each person move toward their best version of themselves.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Counseling and Support

Maria Clara Salazar-Pretto uses client-centered methods that prioritize the person’s goals and lived experience, creating space for empathy, validation, and collaborative planning. This approach helps people feel heard and engaged in shaping their own path forward.

She also employs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and learning practical strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and mood concerns. CBT is useful for clients seeking concrete tools to cope with daily challenges.

Solution-Focused techniques are integrated for clients who want brief, goal-directed work that highlights strengths and achievable steps. This approach supports people in clarifying desired outcomes and taking small, measurable actions toward change.

Finding the best therapeutic approach is part of the work together. Maria Clara frames treatment as a collaborative process, aligning methods with each person’s needs, goals, and preferences rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit care into busy schedules and to access licensed professionals from different locations. These options can help people maintain continuity of care and engage in therapy in ways that match their routines and comfort levels.