- 20 years experience
- English and Spanish
- Goal focused support
About Mary
Mary McLaggan is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with 20 years of practice. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and life changes. Her approach is respectful and down-to-earth, focused on what each person needs right now.
She uses practical conversation to identify what feels off and what might help. Sessions are shaped around the client’s goals, whether that means improving sleep, managing anger, or working on intimacy-related concerns. She also supports people facing grief, caregiver strain, or challenges tied to identity and relationships.
Mary blends several therapy approaches to match the person in the room. Client-centered work keeps the client’s perspective central. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Attachment-based ideas guide work on closeness, trust, and communication.
She aims to make therapy concrete and usable. That can mean short skills practice, thought tracking, or trying a new way to talk about a problem. The work is collaborative - plans change when something isn’t working.
Mary speaks English and Spanish and practices in Iowa. Her style is warm and practical, and she asks questions to understand daily life before suggesting steps forward. If someone is ready to take the first step, she helps set up a plan that fits their needs.
She uses practical conversation to identify what feels off and what might help. Sessions are shaped around the client’s goals, whether that means improving sleep, managing anger, or working on intimacy-related concerns. She also supports people facing grief, caregiver strain, or challenges tied to identity and relationships.
Mary blends several therapy approaches to match the person in the room. Client-centered work keeps the client’s perspective central. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Attachment-based ideas guide work on closeness, trust, and communication.
She aims to make therapy concrete and usable. That can mean short skills practice, thought tracking, or trying a new way to talk about a problem. The work is collaborative - plans change when something isn’t working.
Mary speaks English and Spanish and practices in Iowa. Her style is warm and practical, and she asks questions to understand daily life before suggesting steps forward. If someone is ready to take the first step, she helps set up a plan that fits their needs.
How therapy approaches shape online work
Mary integrates client-centered methods that prioritize the person’s perspective, helping the therapist follow what matters most in each session. This approach supports emotional expression and makes sessions feel more focused on the client’s goals.She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to break problems into clear parts - thoughts, feelings, and actions - and to practice different coping skills between sessions. Attachment-based ideas are used when trust, closeness, or patterns in relationships are central concerns, helping people notice recurring patterns and try new ways of relating.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, try a method, and adjust as needed so the work fits their needs and preferences.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, for example by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins on a break, or making scheduling across different locations simpler. Licensed professionals can use different techniques over video or phone, and many people find the same skills practice and problem-solving methods useful in remote sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigue
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
Texas, Iowa
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief, relationship issues, intimacy concerns, parenting strain, and many life changes.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is practical and collaborative, using conversation to identify problems and trying skills or small changes to improve daily life.
How much experience does she have?
She has 20 years of professional experience working with a range of concerns including trauma, bipolar issues, and caregiver stress.
What credentials and region are listed?
She holds LPC and LMHC credentials and practices in Iowa; the LPC is listed for Texas and the LMHC for Iowa.
Which languages are offered for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the continue button on this profile, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.