Maria van Dyke, LMSW

Meet Maria

Maria van Dyke is an LMSW in the Ithaca Office. Maria began her career as a psychotherapist after 20+ years working as an ecologist and offers her clients an experienced understanding of the responsibilities and challenges of working in a competitive atmosphere. Maria had long yearned to be of service to others; knowing that having an unbiased and well-versed confidante helping you reflect and examine your life, change behaviors, build skills, and be more connected to those around you, is the key to moving forward when you get stuck. Maria attained her vision in 2023, earning her master’s in social work at SUNY Binghamton and her license to practice as a therapist.

Maria welcomes clients of all ages, empowering them to move forward with confidence, skill, and greater self-understanding. Maria’s first experiences were at Family & Children’s Counseling Services (F&CCS) of Cortland and Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH). At F&CCS Maria worked one-on-one with clients dealing with trauma, grief, and managing mental health disorders, including BPD, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, ADHD, substance use, and dual diagnoses. As a clinical intern at TCWH-Personal Recovery Oriented Services, Maria led therapy groups focusing on Interpersonal Processing (IFS & Grief), Psychoeducation, Skills Building, CBT, DBT, and Mindful Meditation. Maria has worked with clients living with psychotic disorders and has experience with coordinated specialty care between doctors, family, and caregivers. Through these experiences, Maria has witnessed the effectiveness of evidence-based practices and applications of social theories and how they truly help people feel better and do better.  

Maria uses a client-led, strengths-based systems approach grounded in curiosity and reflection. She integrates techniques and aspects of Internal Family Systems, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. She believes that exploring our childhood and present-day experiences with courage, candor, and curiosity facilitates deep shifts in the way we hold space for ourselves and move forward in our lives. Raised by a deeply passionate physical therapist who loves to talk about body movement, body mechanics, and how, why, and where we hold our tension, Maria also leans heavily on mindful movement practices to regulate the mind, body, and spirit. Maria honors the humanity in all of us and believes that the therapeutic experience is a partnership built on connection, integrity and trust. She recognizes and appreciates the courage clients display in their therapeutic journey.

Maria is most content in the backcountry or humbling herself on a surfboard. She loves music and dancing, making things, botanizing, native bee ecology, and talking her daughter into doing all of these things with her.