Maria L. Boccia Ph.D., D.Min., LMFT

About

Maria L. Boccia, Ph.D., D.Min., LMFT, is Professor of Child and Family Studies in the Department of Human Sciences and Design at Baylor University. She conducts biomedical research, studying the neuroscience of attachment and maternal and sexual behavior, and she has published almost 100 research articles. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Supervisor in Texas, and an AAMFT-approved supervisor. She is also a certified sex therapist with the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapist and American Board of Christian Sex Therapists. She has been in practice, in various contexts, since 2000.

Recent Posts

Children’s Need for Movement

For physical and mental well-being at any age, we need to get moving.

The “We” of Healthy Relationships

The shift from "I" to "we" in relationships reflects an expansion of the self to include one's partner. This results in greater health and happiness.

Wanting Too Much or Too Little Sex

Do you and your partner disagree about how often to have sex? This may not be a disorder. It may be just a difference, and it is resolvable.

Creating a Resilient Family

Resilient families have characteristics in common that allow them to face the most extraordinary challenges and overcome them.

Traditions, Old and New

The holidays are here, and many are thinking about family. How do we pay tribute to the past and celebrate the new?

Hidden Relationship Issues

Do you and your partner find yourselves repeating the same arguments over and over again? The root cause may be hidden issues that need to be addressed.

How Feelings About "Being a Girl" Have Changed

Rogers and Hammerstein penned the song "I enjoy being a girl" in 1958. With the women's movement of the 1960s, the reasons for not enjoying being a girl changed significantly.

I Am Not My Pain

Life is full of both joy and pain, gain and loss, laughter and tears. How we experience life and who we become depends on our response to these experiences.

Seeking Help When Intercourse is Painful

Some women lose interest in sex because they experience pain during intercourse. This is a medical condition that can be treated.

Without Critical Thinking Skills, We Can Easily Be Misled

Not being able to think critically in today's media environment is like a soldier going up against tanks with only a rifle.