Support for the Moments No One Prepared You For
Welcome
I'm glad you are here!
You are managing a lot.
You want to work with someone
who has compassion,
understanding and expertise.
I get that. You deserve that.
My Wheelhouse
Whether you are an individual, couple, family or healthcare provider impacted by these issues, you are in the right place. Look around!
About Me
I am Maria Frassinelli Sierra, a licensed clinical social worker who has spent my career (and life!) walking with people through cancer, survivorship, caregiving, end of life, grief, and the many parts of life most people avoid talking about.
I come out of oncology and grief work, so you don’t have to translate your medical language or experiences or soften anything for me. I understand things like the "scanxiety" common in cancer and the brain fog that grievers so often experience.
I have been in the room with people when they get their best news and their worst news and everything in between. I have worked in the trenches of oncology and in oncology leadership for over 25 years. I have also been at the bedside of people in their last days.
I do this work now because it's needed. There are just not enough therapists that know this world.
You don’t have to start at the beginning with me. Show up where you are —
I’ll meet you there.
My Approach
Therapy is certainly an art,
but it's also absolutely rooted in science.
You may have a lot of support, but therapy is different, right?
You wouldn't be here if you weren't looking for something to change.
I can help.
Working with me isn’t about pretending you’re fine.
It’s a place where you get to show up exactly as you are —
messy, scared, tired, hopeful, all of it.
I’m fully present with you. Some days you need deep listening; other days you need gentle challenge or a new way of seeing something. And you need tools that are actually useful in your real life. This is therapy that’s real, grounded, and human.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Maria is bright, insightful, and compassionate.
She is professional and holds great boundaries.
"Maria is very compassionate and understanding.
She is thoughtful in her responses."
"It was so helpful to speak with Maria about my loss."
"Maria is always compassionate and validating."
"Maria listens without judgement and offers practical advice.
She is a soft place to land in the sometimes unforgiving landscape that is caregiving."
"Therapy with Maria helped me with new effective coping strategies."
"Maria is warm, authentic and solution-oriented.
It's actually fun"
Maria has always been very supportive, reminding me of my progress and how I’ve been able to deal with things in the past. Saying things out loud to Maria helps me sort out my feelings and thoughts. I then can better understand how to use coping skills when facing difficulty.
Maria always listened and provided feedback and ideas to help guide me through the grief process."
