While studying Child Development, Mariah was introduced to Attachment Theory, which states that humans need to be in relationship with others as a means to survive. At the time, Mariah worked as a preschool supervisor at The Ronald McDonald House where she utilized an attachment-based approach to serve children and families undergoing medical treatment at Rady Children’s Hospital. Through this work, Mariah realized how vital a safe and secure relationship is for healthy development and trauma recovery.

While pursuing her second master’s degree, Mariah was reintroduced to Attachment Theory through the perspective of adults by utilizing Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Since this reintroduction, Mariah has dedicated her work and training experiences to helping couples earn their way to a secure and safe attachment. Mariah has witnessed how EFT provides reasonable explanations to an individual’s behavior when they lack a sense of connection to their partner. This explanation helps to soften blame and can aid individuals in learning to experience vulnerability as a foundation for healing and bonding within their relationship.

Mariah wholeheartedly believes in knowing how it feels to be a client. She has completed several years of her own therapy, which has helped her understand Attachment Theory from both the therapist and client perspective. Mariah strives to create a safe, secure and collaborative environment with each client as the first step in helping them along their journey of self-discovery and healing.

Mariah is available for clients at our Carmel Mountain office and virtually on zoom

Education & Affiliations:

  • B.A. in Communication, San Diego State University (2014)
  • Graduate Level Certificate in Early Childhood Socio-Emotional and Behavior Regulation Intervention Specialist (EC-SEBRIS), San Diego State University (2015)
  • M.S. in Child Development, San Diego State University (2016)
  • M.S. in Counseling, with a concentration in Marriage & Family Therapy, San Diego State University (2018)
  • California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) Member
  • The International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) Member
  • The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Member

Additional Trainings:

  • EFCT (Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy) Externship, completed January 2017
  • EFCT Core Skills, completed May 2019
  • EFIT (Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy) Level I, completed November 2023
  • Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist, September 2024
  • Additional advanced EFT trainings in specialized topics (i.e. betrayal, family, etc.)
  • AAMFT Approved Supervisor Designation IN PROGRESS
  • EFCT Supervisor Certification IN PROGRESS