Mary Blankenburg, LISW

Mary Blankenburg is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) with 35 years of clinical experience who emphasizes the healing power of a strong therapeutic relationship. She draws on decades of work in community mental health, services for adolescents and families, and a private practice she has maintained for thirty years to support individuals, couples, and families through complex life challenges.

Mary integrates a mind-body perspective into psychotherapy informed by her background as a trained dancer, using gentle movement alongside talk-based methods to help clients reconnect with bodily signals. She works with people experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, addictions, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and a range of personality and attachment-related issues.

Trauma sensitivity is central to her approach. Mary helps clients increase awareness of autonomic nervous system states so they can notice cues of safety and learn trauma-focused skills. She incorporates techniques such as EMDR and gentle somatic interventions when appropriate, while addressing presenting problems through developmental, cognitive, and attachment frameworks.

Her style supports clients in cultivating self-compassion and slowly remediating the effects of past harm. Mary approaches difficult work with patience and collaboration, aiming to help people move toward greater resilience, clearer relationships, and improved day-to-day functioning.

Therapeutic Approaches Adapted for Online Work

Mary uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people clarify their values, notice difficult thoughts without being driven by them, and take steps toward a meaningful life. ACT is often helpful for anxiety, depression, stress, and struggles with motivation because it focuses on action aligned with what matters most.

Attachment-Based Therapy is another core approach Mary employs, especially for people coping with relationship wounds, abandonment, and attachment-related patterns. This work explores early relational experiences to strengthen emotional connection, improve communication, and reduce reactivity in close relationships.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Mary works with each person to identify which methods fit their goals, preferences, and circumstances, adapting techniques over time so therapy remains relevant and practical.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility for Mary’s practice - sessions can occur by video calls, over the phone, via live chat, or through text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life transitions, and access support from home or other convenient locations, while working with licensed professionals who tailor care to each person’s needs.