Mary Blankenburg , LISW

Mary Blankenburg is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) with 35 years of professional experience who draws on a long career in community mental health, adolescent services, and private practice to support individuals, couples, and families. She creates collaborative therapeutic alliances that explore clients' emotional lives and histories while emphasizing the connection between mind and body, informed by her background as a trained dancer and a commitment to simple, embodied practices.

Her work addresses symptoms of depression and anxiety, personality disorder traits, trauma and its effects, and the process of post-traumatic growth. Mary helps clients increase awareness of nervous system states so they can better recognize cues of safety and respond to distress with practical skills. She incorporates trauma-focused methods including gentle movement and EMDR alongside developmental, cognitive, and attachment-informed interactions to shift how past toxic experiences relate to present life.

Mary supports people in cultivating greater self-kindness and in gently remediating the lingering impacts of traumatic events. Her approach blends evidence-informed techniques with an attuned, relational stance that aims to make difficult work manageable and ultimately more rewarding.

Integrating Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care

Mary commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people clarify their values, accept difficult thoughts and feelings, and take committed steps toward a more meaningful life - an approach helpful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy is used to explore early relationship patterns and current interpersonal dynamics, supporting healing for those struggling with abandonment, attachment issues, or relational difficulties. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes an empathic, nonjudgmental relationship in which the therapist follows the client’s pace and perspective, fostering self-awareness and growth in a calm, supportive way.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Mary works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. This collaborative stance helps tailor care so it feels useful and sustainable.

Online therapy with a licensed professional offers flexibility and accessibility - sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on what works best for the client. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives, maintain continuity across changes, and access consistent support from a distance.