- Years in practice
- 35
- Credentials
- LCPC
- Licensed in
- Illinois
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Addictions
- Focus
- Self esteem
- Focus
- Bipolar disorder
About Mary
Mary Brahm is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with 35 years of experience. She practices from a straightforward, practical perspective and focuses on helping people cope with addiction, relationship struggles, mood disorders, grief, parenting concerns, and major life transitions. She blends several approaches to match each person's needs.
Sessions tend to be goal-focused and down-to-earth. Mary emphasizes building trust, learning skills for handling intense feelings, and increasing motivation and self-esteem.
Background and approach
Her background includes long experience in behavioral health and substance use settings. She has worked with people affected by trauma, chronic relapse, and co-occurring medical or mental health issues. That work shaped her approach to crisis management and grief support.
Mary draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try new behaviors. She also uses client-centered and existential ideas to prioritize each person’s values and meaning. EMDR is part of her toolbox for addressing trauma when appropriate.
Her practice covers a wide range of concerns beyond addictions, including codependency, communication problems, first responder and veteran issues, multicultural stress, and process addictions. Mary aims to make therapy practical, so people leave sessions with clear steps to practice between visits. Mary is based in Illinois and conducts work in English.
She combines long clinical experience with a straightforward, empathetic style to help people make steady changes.
What Mary works with
Everything Mary lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Mary helps people with.
- Addictions
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Career difficulties
- Compassion fatigue
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Young adult issues
Approaches Mary lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people clarify what matters to them and commit to actions that match those values. It is useful for depression, anxiety, addiction, and life transitions where getting unstuck matters. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to change mood and functioning. It often works well for depression, bipolar symptoms, and coping skills for stress and cravings.Choosing the right approach is part of therapy. The therapist works together with each person to try methods that fit their goals and preferences. That collaborative process may mix ACT, CBT, client-centered listening, or EMDR for trauma when it seems appropriate.
Online sessions offer practical flexibility. Video calls let you use visual cues and work through exercises in real time. Phone sessions require less bandwidth and can fit into a short break. Live chat and text-based messaging make it easier to check in between sessions or share brief updates. These options let people keep continuity with care when schedules, travel, or location make in-person visits hard.
Questions people ask about Mary
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She helps with addictions, depression, bipolar issues, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and intimacy problems, parenting concerns, career stress, and coping with major life changes.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is straightforward and practical. She blends acceptance, cognitive techniques, and client-centered ways to set goals and try new behaviors.
How much experience does she have?
She brings 35 years of clinical experience working in behavioral health and substance use treatment settings, including crisis response and long-term recovery support.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She holds an LCPC, licensed in Illinois. Her practice is based in Illinois and she works in English.
Can I work with her if I live outside the U.S.?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.
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