Maria Martinez Calderon, M.Ed., LMHC
Deeply Trained, Broadly Experienced, and Dedicated to Your Growth
Maria Martinez Calderon is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over nine years of experience helping children, adolescents, adults, and families navigate life's most difficult moments. What sets Maria apart is the depth and breadth of her clinical training. She is trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC), the ARC Grow caregiver curriculum, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and holds certifications in integrative medicine and nutrition, clinical hypnotherapy, and neuro-linguistic programming, giving her a remarkably versatile toolkit for meeting clients exactly where they are.
"Healing is not about fixing what is broken. It is about discovering the strength you already carry and learning how to build from it."
Maria is also a co-developer of ARC Grow for Medically Complex Families (ARC Grow MCF), a 14-session caregiver intervention designed for parents and guardians raising children with chronic or complex medical conditions. Working alongside Kim Hager, LICSW, Kristine Kinniburgh, LCSW, and Dr. Margaret Blaustein, the original developers of the ARC framework at the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute, Maria helped build and refine this evidence-informed model from the ground up. She now provides ARC Grow MCF directly to families through Modern Mentality, making her one of a small number of clinicians in the country positioned to deliver this intervention as a co-author of the work itself.
With an Ivy League education from Columbia University and clinical roots spanning community mental health, psychosocial oncology, and outpatient care, Maria brings a warm, strength-based approach to therapy, tailoring evidence-based modalities to each person's unique needs.
Maria is also a published researcher, co-authoring a study in the Journal of Rare Diseases examining barriers to mental health services among caregivers of children with rare conditions. She is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Italian, and offers therapy in all four languages.
What Maria Treats
Trauma
Trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Attachment, Regulation & Competency (ARC), Maria helps clients process painful experiences and reclaim a sense of safety and control.
Anxiety
Personalized, evidence-based care for generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic, helping you understand the patterns driving your worry and build practical tools for relief.
Depression
Collaborative, strengths-based therapy for individuals experiencing depression, low motivation, and emotional exhaustion.
Medical Complexity & Caregiver Support
Specialized care for parents and caregivers raising children with chronic illness, rare diseases, or complex medical conditions. Maria is co-developer of ARC Grow for Medically Complex Families, a 14-session evidence-informed program addressing caregiver self-care, regulation, communication with medical teams, and the unique grief and resilience work that medical complexity requires.
Family & Parenting
Individual and family therapy to strengthen communication, repair relationships, and support parents navigating behavioral challenges and family transitions.
Children, Adolescents & Teens
Specialized experience working with younger clients through the teen years, addressing school-related stress, identity development, and family dynamics, with developmentally tailored approaches across age groups.
Clinical Background
Teachers College, Columbia University
Master of Education in Mental Health Counseling
Co-Developer, ARC Grow for Medically Complex Families
Co-author of a 14-session caregiver skill-building intervention for families navigating chronic and complex pediatric medical conditions, developed in collaboration with the original architects of the ARC framework.
Community Mental Health
Over nine years providing outpatient therapy to children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families across diverse clinical settings.
Psychosocial Oncology
Clinical internship at Albert Einstein Hospital supporting adults with cancer diagnoses through individual therapy and group facilitation.
Published Researcher
Co-authored peer-reviewed study on barriers to mental health services for caregivers of children with rare diseases. This research directly informed her later work as co-developer of ARC Grow for Medically Complex Families.
Integrative Medicine & Nutrition
Certified in integrated medicine and nutrition, bringing a whole-person perspective that connects physical and mental wellness.
Therapy in Your Preferred Language
Maria provides therapy directly in four languages, recognizing that emotional work often lives most fully in the language you grew up in. Cultural background is woven into the therapeutic process rather than translated around.
An Evidence-Based, Integrative Approach
A Deep Clinical Toolkit
Maria draws from an unusually broad range of evidence-based modalities. She is trained in CPT for trauma, ARC and the ARC Grow caregiver curriculum for relational and developmental concerns, and DBT for emotional regulation, with certifications in integrative medicine, clinical hypnotherapy, and neuro-linguistic programming. Her co-developer role on ARC Grow for Medically Complex Families adds a uniquely specialized lane for families navigating chronic and complex pediatric medical conditions, where standard therapy models often fall short.
Strength Over Diagnosis
Maria practices from the belief that every person already carries the resources they need to heal. Her approach is collaborative and empowering, designed to help you move forward on your own terms rather than simply managing a diagnosis.
The Full Spectrum of Life
From children navigating school challenges to adults working through trauma, relationship struggles, and major life transitions, Maria has spent nearly a decade building expertise across the full lifespan.
Culturally Grounded Care
Maria offers therapy in English, Spanish, French, and Italian, creating space where your cultural background is actively woven into the therapeutic process.
Ready to Get Started?
Maria is currently accepting new patients at our Boston Back Bay location, with both in-person and telehealth appointments available. Modern Mentality is in-network with most major commercial insurers.