Dr. Maria grew up on the East End of Long Island and has dedicated her life to supporting and advocating for children and families, first working as a teacher and later as a school psychologist, director of special education services and clinical psychologist. As a mother of three, including a set of twins, Dr. Maria is incredibly empathetic to the struggles and insecurities that come with parenting in today’s modern times. She offers a compassionate, judgment-free space for parents to share their concerns and visions for their families.
Dr. Maria is a NYS licensed psychologist and a NYS and nationally certified school psychologist. She specializes in working with children and families with diverse behavioral and social/emotional needs. She received her doctoral degree from Hofstra University during which she completed an internship in school psychology and an externship at an adolescent residential treatment and detention center. While at Hofstra University, Dr. Maria provided diagnostic and therapeutic services while receiving weekly supervision in various clinics such as The Child and Family Trauma Institute, The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Informed Clinic, The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Clinic, The Diagnostic and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders, and The Institute for Family Forensic Psychology, providing her with a comprehensive background in working with a variety of populations and treatment modalities.
Dr. Maria also holds a master’s degree from New York University in Childhood Education and has worked in a variety of school settings, including being an undergraduate adjunct instructor at Hofstra University. After graduating with her doctorate in Psychology, she worked both as a school psychologist, chairperson for Committee on Special Education meetings and director of special education services. Although her doctoral training predominantly focused on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in the treatment of mental health disorders, she was drawn to the field of positive psychology, particularly mindfulness and acceptance based therapies, leading her to obtain extensive further training in this area.
Dr. Maria is a Certified Lifestyle Medicine practitioner. At Hamptons Embodied Wellness, she combines Lifestyle Medicine with Positive Psychology and values-based living to help individuals (and families) thrive — by addressing the root causes of imbalance with evidence-based therapies.
Education & Certifications
- Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Hofstra University
- Master’s degree in School Psychology, Hofstra University
- Master’s degree in Childhood Education, New York University
- Certified NY State School Psychologist
- Nationally Certified School Psychologist
- Certified Lifestyle Medicine Diplomate, American College of Lifestyle Medicine
- Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield
- Certified Yoga Teacher
Additional training
- Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Training
Memberships & Associations
- American College of Lifestyle Medicine
- American Psychological Association
- Institute For Functional Medicine
- Suffolk County Psychological Association
Interested? Let’s Connect!
At Hamptons Mindful Youth – Psychological Wellness Services we specialize in providing engaging and individualized tele-therapy services from the comfort and convenience of your home. Making it more accessible to connect and stay consistent in today’s busy world.
631-268-4203 | info@hamptonsmindfulyouth.com