ABOUT ME
I'm Maya Rufino
Your boundaries therapist & self-care guide
I'll let you in on a little secret...I'm a recovering perfectionist and people-pleaser. I spent years overwhelmed, burnt-out, trying (and failing) to never make mistakes, always saying yes to everyone except me. Embracing imperfection and setting boundaries, 2 forms of self-care, changed my life.
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When I became a therapist, I noticed that my experience helping myself made a huge difference for clients like me! And a major bonus: I love it.
MY CREDENTIALS
I graduated with a master's degree in social work from New York University in 2012, and I've been a social worker ever since! Diverse experiences helped me develop skills I use everyday as a therapist. Working in hospice showed me how to support people through grief and loss, and being a therapist showed me how often grief comes up in life. Working in a psychiatric hospital showed me how many ways trauma can manifest, and reaching Provider Status as a Cognitive Processing Therapy practitioner showed me the incredible power of healing. ​
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I have training in several different therapies so that I can pivot to using another method if the first doesn't work for you. These therapies include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing.
"Burnout teaches you what your boundaries need to be"
- Nedra Glover Tawwab
My Approach
How I can Help
Being a social worker is different. A psychological perspective only sees you - portrait mode. When I'm in the room with you, I see you, and everything that influences where you are now - a dynamic video compilation with historical context, cultural influence, community, work experience, identities, family, friends, pets, strengths, challenges, values, politics, spirituality, nature, technology... everything! ​
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Together we can develop a complete sense of what you want, what you need, and how to get it!
When you're always doing for others and trying to do it perfectly, you often lose sight of what you want and need for yourself. Taking a look at your values, practicing setting boundaries, and creating a routine for self-care are just some of the ways we can work toward thriving authentically.
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Together we'll set goals and decide how our sessions will be structured to keep you on track. I will offer you tools to help you move to create the life you want. We'll look at what's getting in your way, and clear the path forward.
My
Story
Get to Know Me
I am the eldest daughter, and I became a caregiver to my 2 younger siblings at 12 years old when my parents divorced. My mom gave me many adult responsibilities on top of my childhood duties, and expected it all to be done perfectly.
As hard as I tried, I could never be good enough for my mom. And being mixed race (Afro-latinx and White/Jewish), not fitting into any prescribed box, I could never be good enough for the world either. I thought if I just worked harder and twisted myself into everyone else's perfect pretzel, I could be good enough.
Through many avenues of healing, including therapy, I now know that I was always good enough. I am worthy, exactly as I am. Do I know this all the time? No. But I know it more and more every day.
To you, beautifully flawed human: maybe you don't think you fit, but you belong. You are good enough.