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Maria Fernanda Cardenas, M.A.

Cultural Identities

About Maria Fernanda Cardenas, M.A.

Sitio web = https://www.melioracounseling.org  

contactar = https://www.melioracounseling.org/contact

Soy interna bilingüe en consejería (español/inglés) y estoy profundamente comprometida con el bienestar emocional de la comunidad Latinx. Ofrezco servicios terapéuticos bajo la supervisión de John Paul Abad, LCPC, NCC, con el objetivo de brindar un espacio seguro, respetuoso y sin juicio, donde puedas explorar tus emociones, identificar patrones, y desarrollar herramientas para enfrentar momentos difíciles o transiciones importantes en tu vida.

Trabajo desde un enfoque colaborativo y culturalmente sensible, reconociendo la importancia del idioma, la historia personal y las raíces culturales en el proceso de sanación. Utilizo enfoques terapéuticos basados en evidencia, como la Terapia Cognitivo-Conductual (TCC), la terapia centrada en la persona y el enfoque psicoanalítico, adaptando cada proceso a las necesidades únicas de quienes acompaño.

Me enfoco en trabajar con adolescentes y adultos que enfrentan desafíos como depresión, ansiedad, duelo, desregulación emocional, baja autoestima, dificultades en relaciones, transiciones de vida y trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT). Acompaño a quienes buscan reconectarse consigo mismos, recuperar su equilibrio emocional y construir relaciones más saludables y significativas.

Sé que hablar de lo que duele no siempre es fácil, especialmente en comunidades donde la vulnerabilidad no siempre ha sido valorada. Por eso, mi compromiso es ofrecerte una experiencia terapéutica cálida, empática y completamente confidencial. Más allá de mi formación, traigo a cada sesión mi presencia auténtica y el deseo genuino de ayudarte a crecer, sanar y sentirte en casa contigo mismo/a.

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I am a bilingual counseling intern (Spanish/English) deeply committed to the emotional well-being of the Latinx community. I provide therapeutic services under the supervision of John Paul Abad, LCPC, NCC, with the goal of offering a safe, respectful, and non-judgmental space where you can explore your emotions, identify patterns, and develop tools to face difficult moments or major life transitions.

My approach is collaborative and culturally sensitive, recognizing the importance of language, personal history, and cultural roots in the healing process. I use evidence-based therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Therapy, and a psychoanalytic framework, tailoring each process to meet the unique needs of the individuals I work with.

I specialize in working with adolescents and adults facing challenges such as depression, anxiety, grief, emotional dysregulation, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, life transitions, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I support individuals who are seeking to reconnect with themselves, regain emotional balance, and build healthier and more meaningful relationships.

I understand that talking about pain isn’t always easy—especially in communities where vulnerability hasn’t always been embraced. That’s why I’m committed to providing a warm, empathetic, and fully confidential therapeutic experience. Beyond my training, I bring my authentic presence and a genuine desire to help you grow, heal, and feel at home within yourself.

 

Maria Fernanda Cardenas, M.A.

Techniques/Modalities

  • Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Affirmative Therapy
  • Art Therapy
  • Attachment Informed Therapy
  • Behavioral Activation
  • Breathwork
  • Chicanx Affirmative Therapy
  • Child Parent Psychotherapy
  • Client-Centered
  • Coaching
  • Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
  • Contextual Family Therapy
  • Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
  • Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals (EFIT)
  • Existential
  • Experiential
  • Exposure and Response Prevention
  • Family Systems Therapy
  • Feminist Therapy
  • Gestalt
  • Harm Reduction
  • Holistic Therapy
  • Humanistic
  • Interpersonal
  • LGBTQ+ Affirmative
  • Lifespan Integration
  • Maternal Mental Health
  • Meditation
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Person Centered Therapy
  • Play Therapy
  • Psychoanalytic
  • Psychodynamic
  • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)
  • Rogerian
  • Sex Therapy
  • Strengths Based
  • Trauma-Focused CBT
  • Trauma-Informed
  • Writing

Specialties

  • Abandonment
  • Abuse
  • Acculturation
  • Addictions
  • Adoption
  • Aggression and Violence
  • Agoraphobia
  • Alcohol Abuse
  • Anger Management
  • Antisocial Personality
  • Anxiety
  • Attachment Challenges
  • Attention Deficit (ADHD)
  • Autism Spectrum
  • Behavioral Challenges
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Blended Families
  • Body Image
  • Borderline Personality
  • Burnout
  • Career Uncertainty
  • Caregivers
  • Chronic Pain or Illness
  • Codependency
  • College Students
  • Colonialism and Capitalism
  • Communication Issues
  • Complex PTSD
  • Compulsive Behaviors
  • Control and Impulsivity
  • Couples
  • Cultural Identity
  • Cyclothymia
  • Depression
  • Developmental Disorders
  • Developmental Traumas
  • Dissociation
  • Dissociative Identity Disorders
  • Divorce and Divorce Adjustment
  • Domestic Abuse
  • Drug Abuse
  • Dual Diagnosis
  • Eating Disorders
  • Elders and Seniors
  • Emotional Abuse
  • Entitlement
  • Estrangement
  • Family Conflict
  • First Generation
  • First Responders
  • Foster Care Experiences
  • Gender Identity
  • Grief & Loss
  • Guilt
  • Health and Medical Issues
  • Helplessness
  • Highly Sensitive Persons
  • HIV / AIDS
  • Identity
  • Identity Issues
  • Immigrant Communities
  • Immigration Evaluations
  • Impulse Control
  • Infidelity and Affair Recovery
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Interpersonal Issues
  • Isolation
  • Jealousy
  • Kink/BDSM
  • Law Enforcement
  • Learning Disabilities
  • LGBTQ+
  • LGBTQ+ Affirmative
  • Life Coaching
  • Life Transitions
  • Machismo
  • Marianismo
  • Marriage Counseling
  • Maternal Mental Health
  • Menstrual Cycle Experiences
  • Military Issues
  • Mood Disorders
  • Narcissistic Personality
  • Neurodivergence
  • Non-Binary Identities and Experiences
  • Obsessions and Compulsions
  • Oppositional Defiance
  • Organizational Wellness Consulting
  • Panic Disorder
  • Parenting
  • Perfectionism
  • Perinatal
  • Personality Disorders
  • Phobias
  • Physical Abuse
  • Polyamory and Non-monogamous Relationships
  • Postpartum Depression & Anxiety
  • Pregnant Individuals
  • Premarital Counseling
  • Premenstrual Disorders
  • Psychosis
  • Racial Trauma
  • Relationship Issues
  • Reunification
  • Ritual Abuse and Religious Trauma
  • Schizophrenia
  • Self-Esteem
  • Self-Harm
  • Sex & Intimacy
  • Sexual Abuse & Assault
  • Sleep or Insomnia Issues
  • Spirituality
  • Stress Management
  • Substance Abuse
  • Suicidal Ideation
  • Suicide Loss
  • Systemic Injustices & Oppression
  • Technology Addiction
  • Teen Violence
  • Testing and Evaluation
  • Transgender Identities and Experiences
  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Workshops

Office Details

  • Free Consultation
  • Online Services
  • Sliding Scale
  • Terapia en línea

States Licensed In

Illinois

Fees

Fees

180-200

Insurance

Aetna
Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO
CIGNA
Evernorth by Cigna
  • Aetna
  • Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO
  • CIGNA
  • Evernorth by Cigna
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Practice Details

Therapist Languages

Hablo Español

Services For

Couples, Family, Group, Individuals

Client Age

Adolescents / Teenagers (14 to 19)
Young Adults (18-25)
Adults
Elders (65+)

Inclusion of individual and group practices on our website does not mean we directly endorse or recommend their services. All of our members offer a free consultation and we recommend screening any and all potential therapists before beginning your therapy services. For any issues, please contact us via email. Therapists listed practice independently.

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“Your email will be sent to the mental health professional. Latinx Therapy does not read your email. Please note that email communication may not be entirely secure. Sending an email through this page does not guarantee that the recipient will receive, read, or respond to it and spam filters could prevent its delivery. We recommend you follow-up via the mental health therapist’s practice if you do not hear back.”

If this is an emergency do not use this form. Call 911 or your nearest hospital.