Margaret Swanson

I am Margaret Swanson, a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LICSW) in both Vermont and New Hampshire. I specialize in trauma - informed care and work with clients navigating anxiety, depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, bipolar disorder, substance abuse and relationship challenges. My approach draws heavily on Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) - approaches I believe are especially powerful when trauma has made it harder to trust others and move forward. I know how it feels to be stuck. With the right support, meaningful growth is possible. I offer telehealth sessions.

My primary specialty is Trauma-Informed therapy. I draw heavily on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help clients build emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness - skills that are especially powerful when trauma has made it harder to trust others and navigate relationships. I combine DBT with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and trauma-focused CBT to address thought patterns and process difficult experiences directly. I also integrate Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Motivational Interviewing depending on what fits you best.

Your first session is a chance to begin telling your story at whatever pace feels comfortable. I will ask what brought you to therapy and what has been most on your mind, and I will listen carefully. Together, we will begin to understand what you are hoping to change and how we might work toward that together. There is no pressure to share more than feels right. Most clients leave that first session feeling heard and a little more hopeful about what is possible.