01 · Who Maria works with

Maria works with stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and career difficulties

Maria lists 16 specialisms and 29 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Maria chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Maria's own words

What Maria says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Hello and welcome to my site! It takes a great deal of courage to reach out to someone you're unfamiliar with for help and I appreciate you choosing to learn a bit more about me and how I may be able to assist you!

I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and hold a Master of Science degree in Clinical Counseling. I have over 7 years of experience as a therapist and coach and am licensed in both Illinois and Texas. I have partnered with clients experiencing a variety of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, career challenges, transition difficulties, and other concerns. I have also assisted many individuals with non-clinical concerns in a coaching capacity, such as goal setting, working towards a promotion, starting a business, etc. I have been fortunate enough to serve in a variety of settings including an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), private practice, community mental health centers, correctional facilities, and acute psychiatric treatment facilities.

Whether you’re in need of occasional guidance or more frequent clinical support, I am here to partner with you! Every counselor has their unique approach to therapy. I believe every client is different; therefore, one approach to counseling does not “fit all.” I use an eclectic approach, blending various interventions, (i.e., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness, Coaching techniques, and a good sense of humor) to best meet your specific needs.

Therapy is unique to each individual and requires a solid commitment of time and resources from both the client and the therapist. It may not always be "a walk in the park" but it is a journey that you will not have to take alone. If you’re willing to commit to the next step, I am here, ready to partner with you! Looking forward to hearing from you!

*Not able to accept USPS EAP clients at this time*

Maria Byndom, on the BetterHelp listing · read 7 Nov 2026

03 · How Maria works

The 2 approaches Maria lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Maria lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Maria's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Maria runs a session.

Narrative Therapy

Treats the story you tell about your life as something that can be examined and retold rather than as the plain facts. Separates the person from the problem - “the anxiety” rather than “your anxiety” - to make room for the parts the current story leaves out.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Maria practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Maria's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Maria at this point.

2. Naming Maria specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Maria is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Maria.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

3 questions worth asking Maria

Built from what Maria actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Maria's - Maria has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Narrative Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCPC

Licensed in

Texas

Licence

IL LCPC 180.012153, TX LPC 82072

Licence number

180.012153

Licence expires

31 Mar 2027

NPI

1649616624

Years in practice

13

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

22 Oct 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Maria's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 7 Nov 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Maria. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.