Mary Dobson, LMFT

My clients describe me as warm, empathetic, direct, and down-to-earth. I help my individual, couples, and family clients to dig into their relationships, their past experiences, and their current realities to confront the things that are holding them back.

In partnership, we will determine experiences and successes that have proven beneficial and seek to enhance those, build upon them, and implement the necessary behavioral and emotional skills to radically improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Each temperament trait that troubles you carries assets and liabilities. Potential assets can be short-sold because of negative symptoms resulting from its misalignment. For example, perfectionism is a positive trait, but can be debilitating or paralyzing when held in excess. Learning to bring your traits back into balance is an act of integration, and far more valuable than rejecting parts of self. We are unlikely to transform into our opposite, but we are each capable of refining our traits to make them more adaptive. This process requires acceptance, self-compassion, and a non-judgmental therapeutic environment.

Workaholism and compulsive eating are other examples of attributes that frequently receive a bad rap. These traits, when examined from a neutral lens, could be reframed as having “a big appetite for life,” or “a high level of self-efficacy and vision.” Understanding what drives our temporary ‘out-of-control-ness’ is a foundational key to achieving true behavioral change. When we reject our undesired traits, we suppress and split ourselves to become more palatable. Your job is not to reduce your complexity, but to embrace it. In my office, we will replace “instead of,” with “and.”

We will add, rather than subtract, in our work together, to reveal a mosaic composite of strengths and impediments known as your essence. I am constantly developing and drawing from the most recent evidence-based methodologies to assist you in incorporating your personal strengths into your counseling treatment.

Empowering you to be the best YOU can be is my focus, as well as my great privilege in working alongside you as your counselor, coach, mentor, ally, and guide.

I utilize candor and authenticity in my approach with clients, and draw from a blend of systems theory, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic, narrative therapy, and psychoeducation coaching.

Our sessions will be active, personal, and constructive.

Good therapy creates a transformative space whereby all parties depart changed. My expertise lies in supporting individuals to see clearly what their perspectives would not previously permit without a trusted guide. Imagine mining for muck, only to uncover, and extract, pure gold.

I believe that each struggle carries the seeds of opportunity for personal, professional, and relational breakthrough. Your road to authentic wellbeing begins with the first step in that hopeful direction: identifying and engaging a credible, trustworthy ally.

Empowering you to be the best you can be is my focus and my privilege in working alongside you as your counselor and guide.

I provide unparalleled championship to help you find hope and a path to healing.