Dynamic Balance

Personal Philosophy

Nature of Human Beings

I view human beings as complex and dynamic social organisms that are always in a state of becoming. Each one of us develops physical abilities, harbors hopes and fears, forms attachments, creates goals, subscribes to certain beliefs and values, and lives in a certain way based on the life experiences we have been afforded, our biological givens, our ability to create meaning from our experiences, and the nature of our relationships with other people. I believe that the interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors largely influences the manner in which a person perceives, acts upon, and responds to his or her environment.

Practice of Therapy

I believe that life is a process, and in the context of therapy, fostering a trusting relationship is of utmost importance for growth to occur.  I like to see myself as a partner or companion in a person's journey, which I have been given the privilege to witness in the therapeutic relationship. I adopt a goal-directed, client-centered, dialectic counseling style and encourage behavior change by helping clients explore, savor, and resolve ambivalence. 

 Hi! My name is marya laviste.

My special interest in working with families living with developmental differences stems from my own family's involvement with autism.

Our journey began over a decade ago, when my oldest son, at the age of five, received the diagnosis of autism. Life took an interesting spin after that, partly because we were aware of the fact that Vincent was different, and partly because, like most families, we dove into our "fixer" mode and dove into a labyrinth of information, therapies, and services with the hopes that, one day, he would be "normal."

We have grown a lot as a family since then, We continue to meet challenges, become unbalanced at times, and fall flat on our faces on occasion. We have also learned to celebrate little successes, accept our limitations, and strive to be better people everyday.