At a glance
- Credentials
- LMHC
- License
- LMHC, Washington / LH60462192
- NPI
- 1184063208
- Experience
- 17 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- Washington
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
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- Motivational Interviewing
- Creative arts methods
- Trauma-aware care
About Mary
Mary Sanders is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in Washington with 17 years of clinical experience. She combines a background in the arts with mental health work to help people navigate relationship struggles, trauma, grief, and major life changes. Mary aims to create an open space where clients can share thoughts and feelings without judgment.
Her work draws on Motivational Interviewing, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, and mindfulness practices. She also brings experience using creative arts and drama-based methods to support emotional expression and healing. Mary has worked in both private practice and community mental health settings.
Mary has long experience helping people who face abandonment wounds, attachment issues, communication problems, and the fallout from divorce or separation. She also supports those dealing with guilt, shame, isolation, life purpose questions, midlife transitions, post-traumatic stress, social anxiety, and phobias. Her approach balances practical strategies with empathic listening.
When trauma is involved, Mary draws on trauma-aware interventions and creative arts practices she has used for many years. She offers assessment and basic recommendations about nutrition and complementary or alternative medicine approaches as part of a broader care plan. Her style is collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.
To begin, Mary asks people to describe their concerns and goals so sessions focus on what matters most. She encourages small steps and builds on each person’s strengths to help them move toward clearer thinking and more manageable daily routines.
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How therapeutic approaches guide online care
Mary often draws on Motivational Interviewing to help people find their own reasons for change and build motivation one step at a time. This approach emphasizes listening, asking helpful questions, and supporting small, practical goals that fit everyday life.
She also uses Attachment-Based Therapy to look at how early connections shape current relationships and patterns. This work can help people understand emotional responses and try new ways of relating to others.
Finding the right approach is part of the process. Mary works together with each person to clarify goals and choose methods that feel useful and respectful of their needs. That collaborative decision-making continues as therapy unfolds, so techniques can be adjusted over time.
If you plan to try online sessions, confirm the therapist’s current session options before booking since formats were not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also let people use mindfulness or motivational exercises between meetings to support steady progress. -
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAttachment issuesCommunication problemsDivorce and separationGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisPost-traumatic stressSocial anxiety and phobiaTherapeutic approaches
Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyExperience
17+ years
Listed in
Washington
Languages
English
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Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does this therapist help with?
Mary works with relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, and coping with life changes. She also addresses issues like attachment, communication problems, divorce, isolation, and social anxiety.
What is Mary’s general therapy style?
Her style is collaborative and client-centered, combining motivational interviewing, attachment-focused ideas, CBT techniques, and mindfulness. She uses creative arts to help people express and process feelings.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 17 years of professional experience working in both private practice and community mental health settings.
What credentials and location apply to this clinician?
Mary holds the LMHC credential and practices in Washington state.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How does payment or cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with therapy?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers