Maria Yanez, Rockwall Christian Counseling

About Maria Yanez

You are not alone. Asking for help does not mean you are weak; it is actually a sign of great strength. It can take a lot of courage to admit our struggles, but if you take that leap, I truly believe God will open your eyes to a community of people who want to support you – including me as your therapist. I offer a confidential, welcoming space where you can share and process your emotional and spiritual battles without judgment or bias. My mission is to help you understand the cause of your struggles while supporting you in your healing journey, always keeping grace at the forefront.

Dealing with Anxiety in Pregnancy, Labor, and Delivery

Dealing with Anxiety in Pregnancy, Labor, and Delivery

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2026-09-11T06:15:27+00:00September 11th, 2026|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Women’s Issues|

The birth of a child can be a time of excitement, joy, and wonder as one experiences the miracle of life. Starting from the moment of finding out one is expecting, to hearing the heartbeat for the first time, to preparing the nursery, culminating in that moment one first sees what love between two people was able to create when the baby takes their first breath. Becoming a mom/parent truly is one of the highest blessings that is even reflected in Scripture. Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. – Psalm 127:3-4, NIV Anxiety and Pregnancy However, the reality is that for most, there is some level of anxiety related to the unknowns, particularly regarding the labor and delivery aspects of becoming a parent. It is only natural for one to worry about the pain and the safety/health of not only their baby, but also the woman bearing the child. A lot of this is normal and even beneficial for most mothers, prompting them to take steps to prepare for the delivery process. Some steps women may take in preparation are finding a provider they feel comfortable with, asking questions, taking classes to learn positions and comforting measures during the labor process, reading books/listening to podcasts to know what to bring to the hospital, taking tours of the hospital to familiarize themselves with the space, and talking to other women who have been through the experience. All of these measures are great as long as the woman understands that no matter how much research they do, questions they ask, books they read, or people they talk to, it is the [...]

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Overcoming Grief with the Help of a Christian Grief Counselor

Overcoming Grief with the Help of a Christian Grief Counselor

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2026-08-26T06:19:20+00:00August 26th, 2026|Featured, Grief Counseling, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

Typically, the question of whether grief counseling is for you is reserved for the end of these types of articles. It comes after describing what grief counseling is, the role of a grief counselor, the pros and cons of grief counseling, and exploring group versus individual grief counseling. Still, it can be helpful to address this question up front. Will a grief counselor help you process your loss? Signs of Grief If you find yourself struggling to cope with your emotions in the wake of loss, that suggests that counseling could be a helpful next step. Some signs that indicate you could benefit from grief counseling would include the following: Sleep Issues Having trouble falling and staying asleep, or you find yourself oversleeping Changes in Appetite Experiencing changes in your appetite, such as not eating much or eating way more than you usually do Avoidance Avoiding people, activities, or the places that remind you of what you’ve lost Physical Symptoms Fatigue, headaches, or gastrointestinal issues that aren’t resolved using regular remedies Feeling overwhelmed and experiencing persistent feelings of guilt, anger, sadness, or even numbness can indicate that you’re struggling with grief. This is especially true if these feelings make it hard to carry on as usual with your life. Struggling to cope in this way may indicate a need for counseling. Lastly, if you’re turning to substance abuse, risky behaviors, or other unhealthy coping mechanisms, help is key. These can include food, work, or indulging your anger, which could indicate that you could benefit from time with a grief counselor. Some or all of these might sound familiar to you. It’s important to take loss seriously and to consider how you’re responding to that loss. Grief can take you to dark places. Talking with a grief counselor can provide you with the space [...]

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6 Ways Delayed Responses to Trauma Can Impact Primary Caregivers

6 Ways Delayed Responses to Trauma Can Impact Primary Caregivers

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2026-07-03T06:53:03+00:00July 3rd, 2026|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

Delaying a response to a difficult situation happens often. Avoiding looking at your child’s grades online, looking the other way when you know your child’s behavior isn’t acceptable or respectful, and staying quiet when your spouse’s anger gets explosive, even though he or she isn’t abusive, are all ways a primary caregiver may be responding to trauma that was never fully processed or healed. A simple definition of trauma is a traumatic event or series of events that impacts a person’s sense of self, relationships with others, and everyday life. Trauma responses can be immediate or delayed, and they can be normal and temporary, depending on the individual. Trauma responses can also be detrimental to a person’s way of life in certain areas if not healed. When a primary caregiver isn’t aware of how his own trauma has impacted him, it can reveal itself in how he parents his children. The Difference Between Delayed and Timely Response to Trauma If you experienced trauma as a child or even as a young adult or teen, it can be difficult to discern whether you’ve processed the grief and other emotions that can coincide with trauma. Immediate physical responses to trauma may include restlessness or a feeling of not being sure what to do. You may have excess energy but struggle to know how to use it. Cognitive responses that are more immediate include an inability to concentrate or struggling to discern the time lapse during a traumatic event. However, delayed response to the same trauma may be that instead of struggling to concentrate, you detach yourself from responsibilities that would require concentration. You don’t go to work, struggle to eat and sleep, and experience thoughts that seem unwanted and intrusive related to the traumatic event. This keeps you in a perpetual [...]

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Faith Born in Abandonment: Finding Support from Christian Counseling

Faith Born in Abandonment: Finding Support from Christian Counseling

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2026-06-09T06:04:33+00:00June 9th, 2026|Abandonment and Neglect, Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

The old statement, “Necessity is the mother of invention” (Plato), celebrates the beauty that comes from need. There are no catchy phrases to describe every happy little consequence that stems from adversity or need. There aren’t t-shirts that read “Anxiety Begets Boundaries” or “Rejections Gave Me Clarity.” Phrases like this on merch could help us remember these ideas that are so hard to grasp. Sometimes, the pain that we try so desperately to avoid actually ends up leading us directly to the most profound growth and the loving arms of our Father. Abandonment Abandonment is a good example. Abandonment can crush you, leaving you questioning your worth, your relationships, and even your faith. But buried under the rubble of heartache and the salty tears, something surprisingly amazing can emerge: faith. When you’re surrounded by comfort, plenty, and love, your needs diminish. Your belly is full, your heart connected, and your needs met. But when you are left alone, abandoned, and left to fend for yourself, those comforts, connections, and needs may not be as easy to meet. A divorced dad who is used to having a wife next to him in bed at night might feel loneliness when he pats the empty sheets. A widow may notice the absence of her husband most when she walks into family gatherings alone. A child whose parents died when they were young can feel the awkwardness of aloneness when their peers complain about their own parents and their restrictive rules. These are just a few of the scenarios that play out in the lives of people every day. Whether it’s labeled as loneliness, empty nest, grief, or sadness, it can also be called abandonment. Not all abandonment is physical. Sometimes abandonment can happen even when someone is physically present. A husband can [...]

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Bible Verses About Marriage: Being a Submissive Wife

Bible Verses About Marriage: Being a Submissive Wife

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2026-04-15T09:03:53+00:00April 15th, 2026|Couples Counseling, Featured, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues, Women’s Issues|

If you ever want to stir things up at your next Bible study, bring up the subject of how a wife should submit to her husband. One side of the discussion swears that the literal interpretation of the Scripture is the only true guideline. They passionately argue that to be a Christian wife, you must obey your husband in blind faith as you would Christ. They quote Scripture and detail how they believe it’s God’s will that they acknowledge their husband as the God-appointed head of the household. On the other side of the argument, the air thickens with skepticism and the fear of threat. They roll their eyes at the “old-fashioned” interpretation of the Scripture, like it’s a relic dug up from some ancient, dusty tomb. They argue that submission is erasure, a slow siphoning of their selfhood under the thin veil of piety. They discuss it, swirl the words carefully in their minds, and note the contradictions between lived reality and their understanding of the printed page. They feel tension between honoring their faith and honoring their own voice. And in the homes of both extreme proponents of the argument are likely marriages that are strained and unfulfilling. A traditionally submissive wife might feel unheard and not cherished. She might feel like her rights are violated or that she isn’t worthy of rights at all. She might feel that her opinion doesn’t matter because she couldn’t possibly measure up to her husband’s connection with God or knowledge of how the world works. The modern wife with an extreme feminist viewpoint might also struggle in her marriage, but for different reasons. She might take advantage of her husband’s weaknesses, making decisions that are self-serving or ignoring his needs entirely, leaving him feeling unseen and unappreciated. Both extremes miss the [...]

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Finding Support in Times of Suffering

Finding Support in Times of Suffering

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2026-05-15T09:04:29+00:00March 20th, 2026|Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development, Women’s Issues|

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? – Psalm 22:1, NIV To the sufferer, these verses resonate with the deepest heartache one can experience. Whether it be a loss of a loved one, a betrayal, an illness, or one of the many pains of living in a broken world, this kind of pain can lead to one feeling isolated and alone, as if no one can truly understand the depths of the sorrow and pain. This type of pain can lead to feeling furthest from God, prompting the question, “Where are you?” Suffering in the Book of Job In times of suffering, when the feeling of isolation hits deepest, the book of Job can bring comfort. Job, described by God as “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8), teaches the sufferer that tragedy doesn’t always stem from one’s own failure. Rather, even the righteous aren’t safe from the suffering of this sin-tainted world. However, this insight can also bring fear, because it means tragedy is unpredictable, which goes against the human desire for predictability and security. In attempts for security, the sufferer and even their close friends and family will make desperate attempts to make sense of the tragedy. Job laments and cries out to the Lord in various verses: Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong. – Job 6:24, NIV Your hands shaped me and made me… Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again? – Job 10:8-12, NIV Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? – Job 21:7, NIV In times of despair and chaos, it’s only [...]

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How to Stop Worrying: Effective Steps to Overcome Worry

How to Stop Worrying: Effective Steps to Overcome Worry

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2026-02-05T05:45:19+00:00February 5th, 2026|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling|

For some, worrying feels as natural as breathing, and being told to stop worrying feels like an impossible ask. The way to stop worrying is not by simply gritting your teeth and telling yourself to stop. It takes time and effort, but there are effective tools you can use to help you stop worrying and reclaim peace. Why do people worry? One of the first things to address as you seek to understand and overcome worry is to figure out why people worry. Jesus repeatedly tells His disciples not to worry, dedicating time and space to reassure them of the Father’s care and concern for His people (Matthew 6:25-34). Even among God’s people, worry is a reality. We may not worry about the same things, or to the same extent, but we all have moments when worry consumes us. Worry can be seen as a natural emotional response one has to certain life situations. Worrying is when your mind and heart go around in circles over a particular issue, trying to make sense of things. Worry is not the same thing as brainstorming or problem-solving. Worry is repetitive, involving dwelling on a situation or possible outcomes, without taking action to change things. People tend to worry when they experience uncertainty or when they feel concern about the future and possible outcomes of actions. People also worry when they face real or perceived threats to their well-being. Worry engages the mind even when there’s nothing more that can be done. For instance, worrying over a test that’s already been taken, or decisions that are out of our hands. A key reason why we worry is that we have an innate desire to control the situations we find ourselves in. Worry feels like a way to tame the uncontrollable, to put [...]

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How Neurodivergent People Navigate Workplace Challenges with Faith

How Neurodivergent People Navigate Workplace Challenges with Faith

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2026-01-02T07:18:07+00:00January 2nd, 2026|ADHD/ADD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Featured, Individual Counseling, Professional Development|

Today’s workplace presents a complex maze of expectations that can feel overwhelming for anyone. Neurodivergent people often find it’s like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. They experience tension between adapting to conventional work environments and navigating the way God designed their mind. This tension, in turn, creates an internal battle that extends beyond daily performance standards. There is a deeper cultural message regarding success and value, reflected in this struggle. This issue goes beyond workplace accommodations or learning to mask any differences. It shines a light on the depth of how neurodivergent people navigate a world that wasn’t designed with their minds in consideration. Within this challenge, there is an opportunity to discover how God’s intentional design can flourish, regardless of the environment and its resistance to difference. This journey will require practical strategies and a deep understanding of personal worth that will go beyond workplace validation. It will also require intentional examination into the true abilities of the neurodivergent person. I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. – Psalm 139:14, NASB Understanding the Workplace Disconnect for Neurodivergent People Most traditional workplaces operate on assumptions that don’t align with the processing of information, time management, or social expectations for neurodivergent minds. Office environments that are open, consistent meetings, and unspoken societal rules that are expected create a view where success depends on being what is considered normal. It is not focused on competence or contribution. This disconnect results in a daily exhaustion that other colleagues would not witness or understand. The pressure to conform leads to an impossible situation where strength becomes the ability to suppress natural thinking patterns. This may present itself in situations, such as [...]

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The Importance of Godly Female Friendships

The Importance of Godly Female Friendships

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2025-11-25T07:19:48+00:00November 25th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues, Women’s Issues|

If you’re a woman, you’ve probably grown up watching examples of tightly bonded female friendships on television. These fictitious bonded pairs make having a bestie look appealing. You relax on your sofa watching Monica and Rachel unequivocally support each other, even through bizarre circumstances, and read the story of Anne Shirley and Diana Barry, whose bond spanned a lifetime. You’ve probably longed for a friendship like this, but finding a friend who will be with you through thick and thin, in good times and bad, isn’t as easy as it is on a television screen or in the pages of a book. As Christians, we shouldn’t be looking to these secular examples of friendship anyway, right? We should be looking for something different from our friendships than helping move a sofa up some stairs or forgiving someone when they accidentally get you drunk off currant wine. But as members of society, we have been conditioned to think that this cultural definition of friendship is the goal. We’ve been told that these examples are the ultimate showcase of true friendship. And while these examples of friendships are funny and heartwarming, a true godly friendship not only warms your heart but draws you closer to the keeper of your heart, God. Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1-4) In the story of Ruth and Naomi, Ruth didn’t just stick it out with Naomi because it was convenient. No, she left behind everything familiar (homeland, security, and her culture) to walk with Naomi into the unknown. That’s not small talk over a frappe, but is self-sacrificing, ride or die loyalty that was rooted in faith in God. Their friendship was not just an emotional bond, but love in action. Ruth humbly gleaned the fields to provide for Naomi, showing her devotion to her through [...]

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Coping with Divorce with the Help of Christian Counseling

Coping with Divorce with the Help of Christian Counseling

Maria Yanez, Kate Motaung2025-10-16T05:56:02+00:00October 16th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Few people say “I do” with the idea that it is a temporary commitment. Our world does a great job of selling us a highly romanticized view of love and marriage, but not often do we see the more challenging reality of what marriage entails, leaving many unprepared for this lifelong commitment. In his book, Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas points to this reality, stating, “...marriage reminds us of the daily reality of living as sinful human beings in a radically broken world. We aspire after love but far too often descend into hate and apathy.” And unfortunately, many madly in love end in divorce. Divorce is particularly hated among Christian crowds who are passionately against the idea of breaking a commitment, especially one before God and one that has been consummated. Despite all the sticky entanglements involved, people are still coping with divorce. Or in some cases, not coping well with it. It’s ideal and biblical to remain married. The commitment of marriage is a sacred, enduring bond between two people designed to reflect God’s love and covenant with His people. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. – Ephesians 5:25 In the best circumstances, marriage is a beautiful union, meant to last a lifetime, just like you vowed on that special day. The Bible speaks clearly to the importance of faithfulness, love, and perseverance in marriage. It instructs husbands and wives to support, honor, and cherish each other through all circumstances (even in-laws, late-night feedings, and a stack of bills). Jesus Himself reminds us in Matthew 19:6 that “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” That said, the road to a successful, lifelong marriage is not always smooth. You’re human, and so is your spouse (you probably already [...]

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