- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Attachment work
About Mary
Mary Shands is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in Missouri and Texas with 12 years of experience. She has worked in schools, substance abuse treatment, veteran services, and offender treatment settings. Mary helps people with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship concerns, grief, trauma, parenting problems, and related issues.
Her background includes counseling students from pre-K through late adulthood and providing services in varied systems. She has worked for an insurance company and in programs addressing sexual offense treatment and substance use. That breadth shaped a practice that focuses on practical skills and emotional connection.
In sessions she uses a mix of approaches, including Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Existential ideas. She draws on these methods to talk through patterns, manage symptoms, and address relationship or identity concerns. Sessions often involve looking at feelings, examining behavior, and trying new ways to respond.
Mary also brings experience with adoption and foster care issues, codependency, first responder stress, and coping after disaster or illness. She has supported people dealing with body image, eating concerns, bipolar disorder, and compassion fatigue. Her work has included presentations and training in community settings.
People who want practical conversation about emotions, relationship patterns, and coping strategies may find her approach helpful. To start, prospective clients use the site’s matching steps to schedule an initial appointment and choose a plan that fits their location and needs.
How Mary blends approaches for online sessions
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) focuses on identifying and working with emotions that shape relationship patterns. It helps people name hard-to-reach feelings and notice how those feelings affect interactions and closeness.Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early bonds influence current relationships and reactions. It can help people understand why certain situations trigger strong responses and try new ways of connecting.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing different behaviors. It is practical for managing anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and coping skills that affect daily life.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods that fit the client’s needs, and adjust over time based on what proves helpful. That means techniques can shift between emotional work and skill-based practice depending on progress.
The biography did not specify which session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. Some formats also use less bandwidth or do not require video, which can be helpful for a quick session between commitments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
12+ years
Listed in
Missouri, Texas
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, trauma, grief, relationship and parenting concerns, and related issues listed in her specialties.
What is her therapeutic style?
She blends Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and CBT to focus on emotions, patterns, and practical skills.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 12 years of professional experience across schools, treatment centers, veteran services, and community programs.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in Missouri and Texas and practices from Texas.
Does she work in other languages or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
Which session formats are used?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies by location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.