About Maria

Introduction

You've found your way here because something isn't working. Maybe you're exhausted from trying to hold it all together, tired of the same patterns showing up in your relationships, or finally ready to understand why you react the way you do.

I'm Maria Grish, and I help people like you move from just coping to truly healing.

My Story

Who I Am

For over 20 years, I've worked with thoughtful, self-aware adults facing complex emotional challenges. Many of my clients are high-functioning—successful in their careers, capable in their daily lives—but privately struggling with anxiety, relationship patterns, or the lingering effects of difficult pasts. I became a therapist because I believe in the profound capacity people have for change—not surface-level adjustments, but real, lasting transformation that touches every part of life. And I've seen it happen, again and again, when people are given the right tools and a safe space to do the work.

My Background

My path to becoming a therapist was unconventional. I trained as a physician in Russia, earning my PhD in psychiatry from Kazan Medical University. This medical foundation gave me a deep understanding of how our bodies and minds are interconnected—how trauma lives in our nervous systems, how emotional patterns affect physical health, and how healing must address the whole person. When I moved to the United States, I continued my clinical training, earning my Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University and becoming licensed in Florida. Throughout my career, I've specialized in working with people facing the kinds of challenges that don't resolve with surface-level interventions: personality patterns, complex trauma, narcissistic abuse recovery, and chronic relationship difficulties.

My Philosophy

What I Believe About Healing

I believe that behind every difficult behavior, every anxiety attack, every relationship struggle, there's an unmet emotional need—often one that formed early in life. You're not broken. You're not "too much" or "too sensitive." You developed these patterns as a way to survive, to protect yourself, to get your needs met in an environment that didn't fully support you. The problem is, those old patterns don't work anymore. They keep you stuck, reactive, exhausted. They damage the relationships you care about and prevent you from feeling like yourself. Real healing isn't about willpower or positive thinking. It's about understanding these patterns on a deeper level —emotionally, not just intellectually—and giving yourself the corrective experiences that allow new, healthier patterns to form.

My Approach

My work is grounded in compassion and structure. I provide a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your most vulnerable feelings and experiences. At the same time, I bring decades of expertise and evidence-based methods to guide the process, so you're never left wondering "what now?" I don't believe in one-size-fits-all therapy. Your patterns are unique, your history is unique, and your healing journey will be unique too. We move at your pace, focusing on what matters most to you.

Why Schema Therapy

After years of practicing traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy, I found myself frustrated. Some clients improved, but others—especially those with deeper, more complex patterns—would plateau. They understood their issues intellectually but couldn't seem to change them emotionally.When I discovered Schema Therapy, everything clicked. This approach goes beyond surface symptoms to address the core emotional patterns (schemas) that drive behavior. It combines insight with experiential techniques like guided imagery and chair work, creating the kind of emotional shifts that lead to lasting change.

I pursued advanced training and earned my certification as an Advanced Schema Therapist from the International Society of Schema Therapy—a rigorous process that only about 1,100 therapists worldwide have completed. This training transformed not only my practice but also how I understand human psychology and healing.

Why It Works

Schema Therapy is particularly effective for:

  • Long-standing patterns that haven't responded to other treatments

  • Relationship difficulties and attachment wounds

  • Recovery from narcissistic or emotionally abusive relationships

  • Personality patterns (borderline, narcissistic, avoidant traits)

  • Complex trauma and developmental wounds

  • Chronic anxiety, depression, and emotional reactivity

  • It works because it addresses the root causes, not just the symptoms. And it creates corrective emotional experiences—not just new understanding, but new felt experiences—that rewire old patterns.

Personal Touch

Beyond the Credentials

When I'm not in session with clients, I'm continuously learning—reading the latest research, attending trainings, and deepening my own understanding of what helps people heal. I believe therapists need their own therapy to do this work well, and I maintain my own therapeutic practice. I'm passionate about supporting fellow therapists and mental health professionals in their personal growth work. Many clinicians come to me seeking a deeper level of personal therapy—a space where they can drop the "helper" role and focus on their own healing.

Languages

I provide therapy in both English and Russian, allowing me to serve clients who are most comfortable in either language.

Locations

I practice in Plantation, Florida, and offer both in-person and online sessions across the state to accommodate your needs.

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