Maria Daly, LCSW

Maria Daly is a licensed clinical social worker with 12 years of experience helping adults facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, relationship and intimacy concerns, and LGBT issues. She practices with people who are dealing with life changes, low self-esteem, isolation, and family or caregiving strains. Maria works with clients in Illinois and also accepts international clients who can take part in remote sessions.

Her style is collaborative and patient. She offers a calm space where people can talk through what they are facing without judgment. Maria encourages questions and partners with clients to set practical, achievable goals for daily life and relationships.

Maria uses an integrative approach that includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, attachment-based ideas, mindfulness practices, and trauma-focused work. She explains why emotional patterns arise and then helps clients apply new skills to everyday situations. Sessions often mix short teaching moments with exercises and reflection.

She has experience supporting people with aging and geriatric issues, blended family concerns, codependency, gender dysphoria, hospice and end-of-life matters, and polyamory or non-monogamous relationship questions. Multicultural and LGBTQ+ concerns are also within her focus areas.

Maria emphasizes learning and steady progress rather than quick fixes. Her goal is to help people build coping tools, understand their reactions, and regain more satisfying daily routines and connections.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

Maria often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test new ways of thinking and acting. CBT is practical and works well for anxiety, depression, and stress by building clear skills to use between sessions.

She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy which focuses on clarifying values and taking meaningful action even when uncomfortable feelings are present. ACT can help with persistent worry, distress after loss, and when someone wants to move toward a more meaningful life despite difficult emotions.

Finding the right approach happens together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and day-to-day needs, then try methods that fit. That collaborative process includes checking what helps and adjusting the plan over time.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect: video calls for in-depth conversation, phone sessions when bandwidth is limited, live chat for brief check-ins, and text messaging for ongoing support between appointments. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and allow different modes of contact depending on the moment and the task at hand.