Creating closeness in every home
I’m a family and couples therapist, a professor, a parent coach, and co-author of Raising Calm Kids in a World of Worry. I believe closeness is a practice, habit, and skill that moves families from a never-ending cycle of to-dos into a life of connection and meaning.
New book!
My book, Raising Calm Kids in a World of Worry, is available now! In it, my co-author Ashley Graber and I share our five-part method for easing your child’s anxiety and overwhelm.
Hi, I’m Maria.
I help families create a culture of closeness that brings meaning, belonging, and joy to their lives. Closeness changes everything. Being close means spending school pick-up laughing with your child about what happened at recess instead of zoning out on your devices. Being close means your spouse notices when you’ve had a bad day, and knows how to say just the right thing. Being close means that when things get scary, you know that you’re not in it alone.
I believe closeness is the solution to so many modern anxieties. Together, we'll spark a family culture where every voice matters, where you can talk openly without fear of rejection or judgment, and where you experience powerful moments of connection.
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Are you a...
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Parent
Wanting a deeper connection with your children and partner?
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Couple
Wondering how to become closer rather than grow apart?
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Therapist
Looking for new tools to help clients find connection in modern life?
“When we prioritize the emotional life of our families, everything changes. Life becomes richer, conversations become deeper, and your family becomes a place where everyone—kids, couples, and parents alike—feels heard, valued, and loved.”
— Maria Evans
What does it mean to be close?
Modern families are masters of making things happen—signing kids up for countless programs and juggling endless to-do lists. But in the rush of doing it all and the constant pull of screens, we’re missing something deeper: the meaningful moments and rituals that give our families a sense of belonging, connection, and purpose.
Each family’s culture of closeness will be unique, but my approach focuses on the three pillars that most share:
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Open communication is about how we listen to and share ourselves with the people we love. Can we share our true desires, fears, insecurities, worries, and anxieties? And do we know how to really listen to our loved ones with compassion?
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We live in a secular, modern world where many couples come from different social and cultural backgrounds. As we build families, it becomes essential to clearly define what truly matters to us and to make choices in alignment with those values.
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When we design family rituals and traditions as intentionally as we plan everything else in our family lives, we don’t just let connection happen in the cracks between activities – we create a sense of belonging and purpose for adults and kids alike.