Mari Westberry

My path to becoming a counselor was not a straight one. Before entering the counseling profession, I was a stay at home mom, and then spent many years working in the technology industry. Along the way, I experienced my own share of life's challenges, transitions, and difficult seasons, including undiagnosed ADHD, divorce, and career burnout.

I returned to school to become a counselor because I wanted to be the type of therapist I would have wanted during those challenging times: authentic, caring, non-judgmental, and invested in helping people live life on their terms. I earned my Masters in Professional Counseling from Texas State University where I graduated with honors, and I completed my internship at Bluebonnet Trails Community Services in Bastrop.

When I'm not in the office, you'll usually find me spending time with my family, playing pickleball, or trying to keep my chickens alive. I also like to pretend to garden, and I love reality game shows.

I believe therapy should feel like a conversation, not an interview. Sessions with me are relaxed and low-pressure. I use evidence based practices to help understand where the problem is coming from, how it came to be, and how life would be if the problem was gone. The thing I enjoy most is the look on a client's face when something clicks and everything suddenly makes sense.

My goal is for you to leave each session feeling heard, understood, and a little more hopeful, with practical tools to use throughout your week.

My counseling approach is relational, compassionate, and focused on helping you understand what is behind your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, so that you can choose your path forward with purpose.

My first session is very relaxed and conversational. My goal is for us to get to know each other and to understand more about what brought you to therapy, what you've tried before, and what your goal is, if you have one. You are not required to come in with a goal. We'll figure all of that out together.