- ACT methods
- CBT skills
- Mindfulness practice
About Desiree
Desiree Maldonado-Peluffo is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Massachusetts with 10 years of professional experience. She works with adults who are feeling stuck by stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, family conflict, or major life changes. She speaks English and Spanish and draws on several therapy methods to help people clarify what matters next.
In sessions she uses clear, practical tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These approaches help people notice thoughts and choose actions that align with their values. She also teaches simple mindfulness practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus.
Desiree pays attention to attachment and relational patterns such as abandonment, codependency, commitment problems, and communication difficulties. She addresses mood challenges including seasonal affective disorder, social anxiety, and post-traumatic stress alongside general coping skills for life transitions.
Her work can include looking at parts of the self using Internal Family Systems ideas, naming protective patterns, and finding new ways to respond when old strategies no longer fit. Sessions tend to focus on practical skills, small experiments between meetings, and building habits that support day-to-day functioning.
People who choose her often want help sorting priorities after a change and developing steady ways to manage distress. To start, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session through the platform.
How her therapeutic approaches work for online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you clarify what matters and take small steps toward those values. In practice this means noticing unhelpful thoughts and choosing actions that match priorities, which can be helpful for anxiety, low mood, and life changes.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going. Sessions include practical strategies and short experiments to change unhelpful habits, useful for social anxiety, mood issues, and stress management.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with the client to try methods, review what helps, and adjust plans based on needs, goals, and personal preferences. Progress is guided by small, achievable steps and regular reflection.
Confirm the session formats offered before booking, as specific online formats are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It can also make it simpler to practice skills between sessions in daily life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Listed in
Massachusetts
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family conflict, and coping with life changes, including attachment and communication issues.
How does she approach feeling stuck?
She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to teach skills for noticing thoughts and choosing actions that match your values.
How much experience does she have?
She has 10 years of professional experience working with adults on mood, relationship, and life transition concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an MA LICSW licensed in Massachusetts.
Can sessions be held in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Does she take international clients?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.