About Mary
Bring me your suffering. The rattle roar of broken bones.
Bring me the riot in your heart. Angry, wild & raw.
Bring it all.
I am not afraid of the dark.
Perinatal mental health care via telehealth in Seattle and across WA.
You’re holding a lot right now.
And the tender places that hurt are invisible to the naked eye. I’m here to see it all with compassion & understanding, helping to hold it safely until it becomes light enough for you to easily carry on your own again.
Look to the future, with eyes trained on how we can help you feel better & find relief from the symptoms you are currently experiencing. We will be mindful that sometimes symptoms are simply the presence of expected & reasonable responses to lived experience.
Look behind us & all around us to help make sense of things & inform our plans for moving forward.
Take a holistic approach. Humans do not exist in a void & we are all influenced by the cultures we live in; our families of origin; our physical and mental health realities; the privileges and/or oppressions we face; social policies that impact us; our personal identities such as gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence — & places where those identities intersect; as well as our relationships with friends, family, & community.
Acknowledge the ongoing impacts of late-stage capitalism, generational trauma, anti-Blackness, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, racism/white nationalism, body shaming, COVID-19, ableism & misogyny/misogynoir. No matter how you are feeling, you have a very good reason for feeling that way & we will consider all of you, in the context of your actual life, as we craft an approach to our work together.
You are welcome here.
I work with new & expectant parents of all ages, genders, backgrounds & family structures. I support clients in cultivating community & connection — with self, ancestors, family, friends, nature, animals, spirit. Psychotherapy has a tendency to put the individual above all else while seeking “healing” in a void. But we belong to each other & we heal in connection.
What informs my practice more than anything is my own parenting journey with my now-teenage children & my 20 years as a postpartum doula. These rich & varied experiences have bestowed a deep-rooted understanding of the vast range of joys & challenges new and expectant parents face. Sleep deprivation? Been there. Intrusive anxious thoughts? Too familiar. Pull up a computer screen & let’s chat. I got you.
If you’re looking for a therapist who is kind, funny, comforting, easy to talk to, “the real deal” & definitely prone to swearing in session — then my previous clients would say you’ve found your perfect match!
Areas of Focus
Treatment
Individual
Perinatal Therapy
Holistic 1:1 therapy for anxiety, birth trauma, depression, NICU experience, grief & loss, and more.
Prevention
Transition
to Parenthood
Care for new & seasoned parents who want to bolster their mental health & have a supportive hand to hold during this season of life.
Training & Experience
Education & Licensure
- B.A. Sociology, minor in Family Studies – Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
- M.S.W. – University of Washington
- LICSW in Washington (License #LW60168771)
Training & Certifications
- PMH-C
Certification in Perinatal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International. - Somatic Embodiment and Regulation Strategies
Certification through Collectively Rooted (Linda Thai). - Advanced Flash Technique
Trained by Dr. Philip Manfield in this stand-alone EMDR technique for trauma processing. - The Art of Holding Perinatal Women in Distress: Assessment, Treatment, & Advanced Clinical Practice
Certification through The Postpartum Stress Center (Karen Kleiman). - Lactation Educator
Certified through Evergreen Hospital.
Professional Affiliations
- NASW (National Association of Social Workers)
- PSI (Postpartum Support International)
- PSWA (Perinatal Support Washington)
- PPSC (The Postpartum Stress Center)
Core Practice Values
Collaboration
I will not impose a therapy plan on you, nor will I provide a formal diagnosis without consent. We work together to devise a road map, which remains a living document as we move through our time together.
Inclusivity
I strive to maintain a queer-affirming and anti-racist practice. This means I embrace lifelong learning, un-learning, shadow work, and evolving as a human and therapist. That said, as a straight, cisgender white woman, I know I am not a safe enough option for some folks and I am happy to try to help you find a culturally matched provider who meets your needs if I am not the best fit.
Cultural Humility
I respect and believe your lived experience at all times. While I have therapeutic insights and tools to share, you are, and will always remain, the expert on you.
Authenticity
When you work with me there is always room for laughter, absurdity, swearing, and general realness. I reject the western, colonized approach to therapy that requires the clinician to be an apolitical blank slate. Therapy is political! I show up for my clients as my authentic self, and our work together will be deeper and more meaningful when we jointly work to create a genuine relationship.
Whole-Person Care
I acknowledge the myriad ways in which the mind and body are intimately connected. We cannot effectively address the thinking/feeling pieces without addressing the physical pieces as well. This is often referred to as a “top-down, bottom-up” approach.
Compassion
You have good reason to feel the way you feel, and to be the way you are. I will never judge you or your experiences, and will partner with you as we gently uncover the miraculous ways in which you are capable of healing.