Mary Sanders, LMHC

Mary Sanders is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in Washington with 17 years of clinical experience across private practice and community health settings. She combines a background in the arts with formal mental health training to support people facing relationship challenges, family conflict, trauma and abuse, grief and loss, and life transitions. Her work spans all ages and includes both individual and family therapy, drawing on two decades of experience using theatre and expressive arts as healing modalities.

Mary integrates a range of trauma-sensitive methods into her practice. She uses EMDR-informed approaches, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral techniques (TFCBT), and creative arts therapies to help clients process difficult experiences. She also employs role theory, sociometry, solution-focused therapy, and motivational interviewing as complementary tools, adapting methods to fit each person’s needs.

She creates an open, nonjudgmental environment where thoughts and feelings can be explored and shared. In addition to psychotherapy, Mary is qualified to provide assessment and basic recommendations for nutritional and complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) options as part of a holistic approach to mental health. She emphasizes collaboration and supports clients as they take steps toward a more fulfilling and satisfying life.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care

Mary Sanders draws on several established approaches to support clients in an online setting. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early and current relational patterns shape emotions and behavior - this approach can help with abandonment, attachment issues, and relationship struggles by exploring needs and strengthening connection.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and learn practical skills to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. It is a structured, goal-oriented method useful for coping with life changes and social anxiety.

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, conversation-based approach that helps people explore ambivalence and find internal motivation for change. It is often used when working through transitions such as separation, midlife shifts, or lifestyle adjustments.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Mary collaborates with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences and to tailor interventions that fit the individual or family.

Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives, maintain continuity of care, and access licensed professionals from different locations while preserving the therapeutic relationship.