Maria received her undergraduate degree from the University of the Americas in Mexico City where she majored in Cultural Anthropology. She has post graduate training in Early Childhood education from Webster University and a Master's degree in Counseling from the University of Missouri.
She has been a State Certified Parent Educator in Missouri's Parents As Teachers' Program where she worked with parents of children prenatal to three years old. She has conducted developmental screenings and educational workshops, implemented a pregnant teen program, and co authored the Prenatal Parenting Curriculum for the Parent's As Teacher's National Training Center.
Maria has been a member of the Pre and Peri Natal Psychology Association for 20 years and the author of her own book entitled "Bonding With Your Baby Before Birth".
Maria is certified in Holistic & Prenatal Counseling and Body Centered Hypnosis for Childbirth from Gayle Peterson PhD.
Maria has specialized training in Sandtray-Worldplay therapy from Gisela Schubach de Domenico PhD. And combines this with her training in Grief therapy to work with women and children dealing with Loss.
Maria recently finished a year long training in Ritual and Spirituality and is integrating this ancient knowledge in her work with preconception, pregnancy and infertility
She is currently in a training program to learn to heal trauma using the body through the Somatic Psychotherapy Institute.
Maria's prenatal yoga training began when she was pregnant with her first son. She was certified in Prenatal Yoga by Silvia Klein Olkin in 1986 and has experience teaching Prenatal Yoga to woman from diverse racial, economic and educational backgrounds.
Maria has a private psychotherapy practice in St. Louis, Missouri. She has focused her work on helping women with the emotional challenges of Infertility, Pregnancy, Parenting, Miscarriage and Infant Loss.
Education:
M.Ed. in General Counseling
University of Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
Graduate Work in Early Childhood Education
Webster University
St. Louis, Missouri
B.A. in Cultural Anthropology
University of the Americas
Mexico City, Mexico
Work Experience:
Counselor in Private Practice
1994 to present
St. Louis, Missouri
Program Developer
Prenatal Prevention Program
St. Louis, Missouri
Designed and implemented a holistic program for pregnant women addressing the physical and psychological issues that prepare them for an optimal birth and postpartum experience. Past program workshops have been given at Webster University, Vashon High School, Queen of Peace Program, Brentwood Community Center, City Studio Center, and the Jewish Community Center.
State of Missouri certified Parent Educator for the Ladue School District.
Parent's As Teachers Program
St. Louis, Missouri
Counsel and educate parents of children age birth to three years. Conduct parent education workshops. Screen one to four-year-olds for developmental delays. Implemented a program for teens who pregnant or have young children, and their parents.
Trained in Gestalt Therapy
Dr. Edwin Harris
St. Louis, Missouri
Trained in the Gestalt Therapy, which is a psychotherapy, based on the experiential ideal of "here and now", and relationships with others and the world, and was co-founded by Fritz Perls, Laura Perls and Paul Goodman in the 1940s-1950s.
Support Group Leader
St. John's Hospital Anorexia and Bulimia Program
St. Louis, Missouri
Counselor
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Program
St. Louis, Missouri
Counseled women wanting natural childbirth after cesarean section. Created and presented educational material.
Center Director
Kingdom House
St. Louis, Missouri
Directed a United Way center for 60 underprivileged families and supervised a staff of 14. Implemented education programs, assessed and implemented behavior management techniques for children, counseled parents, and facilitated workshops on parenting skills.
Membership:
CHI SIGMA IOTA - Counseling Honor Society
American Counseling Association
Pre and Perinatal Psychology Association
International Childbirth Association
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