Mary Sanders

Mary Sanders is a licensed mental health counselor with 17 years of experience in Washington. She blends talk-based approaches with creative arts practices to help people navigate relationship strain, trauma, grief, and major life changes. Her style aims to make sessions straightforward and approachable for someone feeling overwhelmed or isolated.

She draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how early bonds shape current relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques help identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns. Client-centered work keeps the conversation focused on each person's values and goals.

Mary’s background in the arts informs how she works. She has used theatre and expressive arts in therapeutic settings for about 20 years, bringing practical activities into sessions when they fit a client's needs. This can help people access feelings or try out new ways of relating in a hands-on way.

Her experience includes both private practice and community mental health environments. That range means she has supported people facing complex trauma, grief, and social anxiety in different settings. She aims to create a nonjudgmental space where thoughts and emotions can be shared and understood.

Mary also offers basic assessment and recommendations for nutritional and complementary approaches when clients want a broader, whole-person plan. To begin, she helps clients set clear goals and chooses methods that match their pace and comfort level.

How Mary’s Approaches Translate to Online Therapy

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current connections and helps people notice patterns that lead to loneliness or conflict. It is useful when someone wants clearer emotional bonds or better communication. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and trying small behavioral changes to reduce anxiety or low mood. It works well for social anxiety, negative self-talk, and practical problem solving. Client-Centered Therapy centers the session on the person's own priorities and pace, giving space for people to choose what feels important to work on.

Finding the right mix of methods is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which approaches to try and adjust them as needed during ongoing sessions.

Confirm the current session options before booking to know what formats are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life by reducing travel time and allowing sessions during a lunch break or between commitments. It also allows using interactive tools and brief homework exercises that can be done between meetings to reinforce what was discussed.