Therapist profile
Mary Brahm, LCPC
Licensed counselor - Addictions and family concerns
Continue with MaryAbout
- Addictions
- Parenting support
- Communication problems
About Mary
Mary Brahm is an Illinois Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LCPC) with 35 years of clinical experience. She works with adults on addiction, mood disorders, relationship strain, parenting concerns, grief, trauma, and life transitions. Sessions focus on practical steps and clear goals rather than abstract talk.
Mary draws on a mix of evidence-based methods to match what each person needs. She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered work, Existential approaches, and EMDR when appropriate. Her background includes long experience with substance use, dual diagnosis, and co-occurring conditions.
Her work with military service members and civilian personnel after years of travel shapes how she understands stress, culture, and role change. That experience informs support for first responders, veterans, and people facing prejudice or multicultural challenges. She also has experience with hospice and end-of-life counseling and grief support.
Sessions typically address triggers, intense emotions, communication problems, and co-dependency patterns. Mary helps people identify concrete coping skills, rethink unhelpful habits, and practice new ways of responding. She also provides motivation and self-esteem work alongside relapse prevention and recovery-after-care planning.
Mary’s training includes work in community mental health and senior therapist roles. She has held clinical and supervisory responsibilities and has additional coursework in marriage and family topics. Languages offered are English and she practices from Illinois as an LCPC.
How sessions work
How Mary brings common approaches to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings and choose actions that reflect their values. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and practicing new behaviors to reduce symptoms and improve daily functioning. It is commonly used for mood issues, addiction triggers, and relationship problems. EMDR is a trauma-focused method that helps process disturbing memories and reduce their emotional intensity; clinicians often use it for trauma and abuse-related symptoms.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, past treatment, and current struggles to decide which methods to try. That decision is collaborative and may change as progress is made.
The biography does not list specific online session formats for Mary, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online care can make it easier to fit sessions into a workday, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Some formats demand less bandwidth or do not require being on camera, which can suit quieter or faster check-ins. Licensed professionals adapt tools and exercises used in ACT, CBT, and EMDR so work can continue across distance while focusing on the same practical goals.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
35+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of family or parenting issues does she help with?
She helps people facing parenting stress, relationship strain at home, family of origin issues, and communication problems.
What is her general therapeutic style?
She uses an eclectic, pragmatic approach that combines ACT, CBT, client-centered work, existential ideas, and EMDR depending on needs.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 35 years of clinical experience, including work in community mental health and senior therapist roles.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is an Illinois Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LCPC) and practices from Illinois.
Does she conduct sessions in other languages or accept international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are offered?
The biography does not specify session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Begin by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.