Mary Dooley, LICSW
Compassionate, practical therapy for parents and adults
Explore online therapy options- Years in practice
- 10
- Credentials
- LICSW
- Licensed in
- Alabama
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Family conflicts
About Mary
Mary Dooley is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) in Alabama with about 10 years of clinical experience. She offers calm, straightforward guidance for people facing stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship or parenting challenges. Her tone is warm and interactive, and she aims to treat each person with respect and sensitivity.
Mary blends several approaches rather than using one fixed method. Sessions focus on practical steps you can try between meetings alongside space to talk through deeper patterns.
Background and approach
She is direct and honest about the work while staying compassionate and nonjudgmental. Common concerns Mary helps people address include trauma and abuse, grief, addiction, intimacy-related struggles, anger, low self-esteem, and coping with life changes. She also brings experience with adoption and foster care, attachment questions, blended family issues, and challenges related to divorce or separation.
Her toolkit includes client-centered listening, cognitive behavioral techniques to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, mindfulness practices to reduce reactivity, and psychodynamic ideas to look at past patterns. She also uses solution-focused planning to set short-term goals and track progress. Mary works with adults who want practical help and emotional understanding.
Her sessions can include coaching-style guidance as well as traditional therapy conversation. She encourages people to take small steps, try new strategies, and notice what changes between sessions.
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.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- Addictions
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Jealousy
- Money and financial issues
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-harm
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Mary lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-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.
Approach and online options that fit your life
Mary uses client-centered therapy to create an accepting space where the person sets the pace and priorities; this approach focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the individual. She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy, which breaks down problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Mary will talk with each person about goals, try methods that fit their needs, and adjust plans based on what helps. The early sessions often include setting small, trackable goals so the work feels focused and measurable.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions let you use visual cues and a fuller conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is low or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging work well for brief updates, homework check-ins, or people who prefer writing over speaking. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule and to keep momentum between meetings.
Questions people ask about Mary
What issues does Mary commonly address?
She works with concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and parenting challenges, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, and low self-esteem. Additional areas include adoption and foster care, attachment and blended family issues, and coping after separation or divorce.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is warm, interactive, and straightforward. Sessions mix listening with practical steps, honest feedback, and tailored plans based on each person’s needs.
What is her professional background?
She has about 10 years of experience working as a therapist and life coach, including work with survivors of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and their family members.
Where is she licensed and practicing?
She holds an Alabama LICSW, which denotes a licensed independent clinical social worker in Alabama.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English only.
What session formats are available?
Mary offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How are fees and billing handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin working together?
Start by clicking the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.
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