Mary Brahm, LCPC

Mary Brahm is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with 35 years of experience. She draws on practical therapies to help people facing addiction, depression, trauma, relationship strain, and major life changes. Mary writes plainly and works directly, aiming to help people regain footing and move toward goals.

Mary blends several evidence-informed approaches to fit each person’s needs. She often uses acceptance and commitment techniques, cognitive behavioral ideas, and client-centered work to help people notice what matters and make small changes. She has also used EMDR when trauma memories are a central concern and existential ideas when people ask about meaning and purpose.

Half of her career involved working alongside service members, civilian personnel, retirees, and their family members. Mary is a Marine Corps veteran and has long experience with veteran and armed forces issues, first responder concerns, and multicultural populations from living and working around the world.

Her background includes substance use and dual-diagnosis care, grief and end-of-life counseling, and support for process addictions and codependency. Mary combines goal-focused therapy with practical skills for coping, communication, and relapse prevention so people can manage real-life challenges.

Mary practices from Illinois and holds an Illinois LCPC. Sessions are conducted in English. To begin, complete the site matching questionnaire and schedule a time based on the clinician’s availability.

Therapeutic methods and how they work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It helps people clarify values and take committed steps toward a meaningful life, which can be useful for depression, addiction, and life transitions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches straightforward skills to change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. It is often used for anxiety, mood issues, and problems like substance use by setting clear goals and practicing new habits.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) addresses distressing trauma memories through guided processing. When trauma memories are central, EMDR can help reduce the intensity of those memories and the reactions that follow.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences and may combine techniques as treatment progresses.

The biography does not specify session formats, so confirm current online options before booking. In general, online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for check-ins from different locations. Different formats can also allow for shorter check-ins or longer therapy sessions depending on what best fits a person’s schedule and needs.