Maria Frassinelli Sierra , LCSW, LICSW

Maria Frassinelli Sierra, LCSW, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in Connecticut with 25 years of experience working in medical social work and related fields. She has built deep expertise supporting individuals and families facing a cancer diagnosis and other serious health challenges, and she brings focused experience in end-of-life care, hospice issues, grief, and loss. Her practice also addresses coping with life changes and transitions, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, fertility and pregnancy concerns, and the emotional effects of aging and chronic conditions.

Maria works with people managing stress, anxiety, compassion fatigue, and shifts in career or life purpose, and she provides executive and professional coaching alongside supportive therapy for LGBT clients. She approaches each person as the expert of their own story and emphasizes clients' existing strengths as a foundation for growth. By partnering collaboratively, Maria aims to lighten burdens, develop practical coping strategies, and help clients navigate communication, financial, and relationship challenges as they pursue clearer goals and greater resilience.

How Therapeutic Approaches Shape Online Care

Maria integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and client-centered principles to tailor online work to each person's needs. ACT focuses on clarifying personal values and learning to live alongside difficult thoughts and feelings, which can be useful for people coping with chronic illness, loss, or major life changes. CBT helps identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and develop practical skills for managing anxiety, stress, and mood, making it a good fit for those seeking structured strategies.

Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathic listening and collaboration, giving space for people to lead at their own pace while the therapist offers support and reflection. Maria approaches finding the right method as a shared process - she and each client explore goals, preferences, and life circumstances to decide which approaches to use and when to adapt them.

Online sessions by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging provide flexibility for people juggling medical appointments, caregiving, or busy schedules. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care, access licensed professionals from home or on the go, and choose the interaction style that feels most comfortable while working toward meaningful changes.