Mary Parker

I approach therapy with warmth, honesty, and compassion. My goal is to create a space where you feel supported enough to explore difficult experiences while also feeling gently challenged to grow. I care deeply about creating a therapeutic relationship where people feel respected, understood, and able to approach difficult parts of their lives with curiosity rather than judgment.

Outside of therapy, I enjoy paddle boarding in the summer, long conversations with loved ones over a leisurely meal, and just about anything related to musical theater. I’m also a big fan of ceramics and afternoon naps—two things that help me stay grounded and appreciate small moments of creativity and rest.

A large part of my work is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS). This approach helps us understand the different parts of ourselves that show up in our lives—like the inner critic, the part that feels anxious, or the part that tries to keep everything under control.

Through this work, people often begin to understand themselves in a new way. Instead of feeling stuck in the same patterns, we can develop more compassion for the different parts of ourselves and create space for real healing and change.

1. Administrative details: We’ll briefly review important information such as confidentiality, scheduling, and how to communicate between sessions.

2. Understanding what brings you in: We’ll talk about what led you to seek therapy and what you’ve been experiencing recently. As part of the intake process, I’ll also ask some questions to understand your mental health history and determine whether any diagnoses may apply (which is required by insurance companies if they are helping to cover the cost of services). We won’t cover everything in the first session, but we’ll begin building a clearer picture together.

If you already know what you’d like to talk about, I’ll listen and ask questions to help clarify things. If you’re not sure where to start, that’s completely okay—I’ll help guide the conversation.

3. Therapy goals: We’ll begin discussing what you hope might feel different in your life and what you’d like to focus on in therapy. Your treatment plan will always be shaped around your priorities.

4. Next steps: At the end of our session, we can talk about whether continuing to work together feels like a good fit. If so, we’ll schedule the next appointment. If not, I’ll gladly help you think about other options so you can find the therapist who feels right for you.