Hi, I’m Maxine Soriano, LMFT

I became the therapist I needed when I was growing up.

My Story & Rooted Experience

If you had told my younger self that I would grow up to be a therapist, I probably would have laughed—or just been too tired to process it.

I grew up in working-class urban pockets of Los Angeles—from Sun Valley to Echo Park—in the '90s and 2000s. As the very first person in my family born in the United States, I experienced firsthand the systemic pressures, economic stress, and lack of mental health resources available to immigrant families. Navigating a "broken" household as the eldest daughter meant learning early on what it felt like to carry weight that wasn't fully mine. I was the manager, the peacekeeper, the translator, and the one who had to constantly keep striving, no matter how heavy things got.

Because of everything my family was moving through, I was a consumer of therapy at a young age. I knew what it felt like to be a kid sitting in a room, trying to make sense of a world that felt overwhelming, chaotic, and often unfair. Those early experiences didn't just shape my childhood—they built the foundation for my life’s work.

Healing, Justice & Equity

I became a therapist because I know firsthand how deeply system, culture, and family dynamics impact our inner peace. I am fiercely passionate about equity and creating spaces where Black and Brown folks don’t have to translate their reality or justify their pain. I believe true therapy has to honor the whole picture, including the systemic hurdles my clients navigate every day.

Restorative Justice & System-Impacted Care

My work is deeply connected to restorative justice practices because I’ve seen how traditional systems—especially the criminal justice system—so often inflict harm rather than offer healing. Therapy should be a place to restore your peace, power, and autonomy.

Within this work, I hold a deeply personal soft spot for men’s mental health, particularly for men of color. In so many of our communities, men are taught that vulnerability is a liability, that asking for help is weakness, and that pain should just be swallowed. I want to help change that narrative. Men deserve a safe space to lay down the armor, unpack what they’re holding, and heal without judgment.

I didn't choose this path from an ivory tower or a textbook. I chose it because I lived it. I know what it feels like to carry inherited expectations, to navigate spaces that weren't built for you, and to fight for your own peace.

I became the therapist I needed when I was younger—someone who meets you with real empathy, deep understanding, and zero judgment. If you’re ready to lay down some of the weight you’ve been carrying, I’m here to walk alongside you.

Who I Work With & Clinical Focus

I specialize in supporting individuals who are navigating the complex intersection of culture, family expectations, and systemic stress. My practice is tailored for:

  • Eldest Daughters & First-Gen Adults: Breaking free from chronic people-pleasing, hyper-independence, perfectionism, and the weight of managing family dynamics.

  • Men of Color & Men’s Mental Health: Unpacking emotional burnout, stress, anger, and relational challenges while unlearning toxic stoicism in a judgment-free space.

  • Black, Brown & Culturally Diverse Individuals: Processing racial trauma, code-switching fatigue, identity, and the daily pressures of navigating spaces not built for us.

  • System-Impacted Individuals & Families: Utilizing restorative justice principles to process trauma related to the criminal justice system and community-level harm.

"I don't offer therapy from an ivory tower or a textbook. I offer it from a place of lived understanding, radical empathy, and zero judgment."

Get Started

My Professional Journey & Expertise

  • My career is rooted in managing high-acuity behavioral health systems within the Bay Area. Currently, I provide clinical oversight and coordination for a large-scale metropolitan residential system of care, ensuring quality standards across 10+ programs. This "big picture" experience allows me to help my clients navigate the complex institutional and systemic pressures that often lead to burnout.

  • I bring years of experience in frontline crisis intervention and stabilization within public health and behavioral health units. This background ensures that I provide a grounded, steady presence for those navigating severe stress or trauma. I have also co-led the integration of racial equity frameworks and DEI initiatives within these systems to ensure culturally responsive care.

    • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #144712)

    • M.A. in Counseling Psychology, Holy Names University

    • B.A. in Urban Studies and Planning, San Francisco State University

    • Trauma-Informed Intervention Certificate

Get Started

Fun Facts

☀️ Home: LA-born, Bay Area rooted.

🏐 Movement: You'll usually find me trying another sport.

🎮 Current obsession: RPGs and cozy games.

🧶 Creative outlet: Crochet and digital art.

📚 Reading: Zodiac Academy is currently on my nightstand.

🐈 Coworkers: Minu & Momo are guest stars in sessions

Let’s Connect!

A safe space to start your journey. I look forward to hearing your story.