Maria Paredes, PhD

Owner and Lead Therapist, Three Little Birds Counseling and Clinical Supervision

Day 1 – Panelist
Implicit Bias in Fertility and Maternity Care: How Race, Body Size, Sexuality Affect Access and Quality of Care

Day 2 – Panelist
Patient Stories: How I Turned My Life Around After My PCOS Diagnosis

Dr. Maria Paredes is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Clinical Supervisor, Certified Eating Disorders Specialist & approved IAEDP supervisor, and owner of Three Birds Counseling & Clinical Supervision in Greensboro, NC, a practice that provides services from a trauma-informed, fat-positive, sex-positive, LGBTQIA affirming, faith-affirming, and social justice-affirming lens. She helps individuals of all gender identities make peace with food and with their bodies, and live fuller lives, free from negative thinking, fear of food, and body hate. She believes ALL bodies have worth and that ALL individuals deserve to enjoy food, move in ways that feel joyful, treat their bodies with kindness and gentleness, and experience authentic connection with themselves and others. Maria recognizes that this healing must occur within the individual therapeutic relationship as well as within the larger, cultural environment, and thus embraces the role of advocacy and activism. She also works with individuals experiencing anxiety, trauma, infertility/pregnancy loss, and PCOS. Maria teaches courses in UNC-G’s Counseling department and provides clinical supervision and training to new professionals working toward their licensure as therapists or dietitians. Maria is Mom to 3 young girls and hopes that they will grow up to experience the wonder and power of all their bodies have to offer, without believing they must shrink themselves.