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LISW

Mary Blankenburg, LISW

  • Experience35 years
  • LocationIowa
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Attachment-Based Therapy
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About Mary

Mary Blankenburg is a licensed independent social worker (LISW) with 35 years of clinical experience who centers the therapeutic relationship as the primary vehicle for change.

Background and approach

She draws on a long history of community and independent practice work in Iowa to connect with clients, explore life histories, and address symptoms such as anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, and the challenges associated with ADHD. Her training and years in practice inform a compassionate, paced approach that attends to both emotional experience and behavioral patterns.

Mary integrates body-aware perspectives alongside talk therapy, inviting clients to notice how physical states relate to emotional responses and to cultivate self-kindness through therapy. She uses evidence-informed methods including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Attachment-Based approaches to help people build awareness, manage strong emotions, and shift long-standing patterns.

Her style emphasizes collaboration, trauma sensitivity, and practical skills for coping with life changes, relationship concerns, and career or identity questions.

Approaches that inform online care and practical access

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and supports movement toward values-guided action; it is often useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns to reduce symptoms like panic, low mood, or sleep disruption. Attachment-Based Therapy explores relational patterns that started in early life and how those dynamics affect current relationships and self-regulation, which can be helpful for intimacy, communication, and attachment concerns.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss your goals, preferences, and the practical aspects of care and then tailor interventions from these methods to fit your needs, adjusting course as you make progress together.

Online sessions are offered by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexible ways to connect. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and maintain continuity of care when in-person meetings are not possible.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Mary commonly help with?
She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, and ADHD among other life challenges.
What is Mary’s therapeutic style like?
Her approach is collaborative and trauma-sensitive, combining awareness of emotional experience with practical skills from modalities such as ACT, CBT, and attachment-informed work.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Mary brings 35 years of clinical experience, including work in community mental health, adolescent-focused agencies, and long-standing independent practice.
What credentials and location are listed for this therapist?
She holds the LISW credential with license number IA LISW 01283 and practices in Iowa.
Does she provide services in languages other than English or accept international clients?
Sessions are provided in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are offered for online therapy?
Available formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in beginning therapy?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteemDepression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBody imageChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityForgivenessGuilt and shameLife purposePanic disorder and panic attacksSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobia

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

35+ years

Licensed

Iowa

Languages

English

What Mary can help with

Mary Blankenburg works with clients on stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem, and depression.

Mary works with people who have symptoms of depression.

How Mary approaches therapy

Mary's clinical approaches include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Existential Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Mindfulness Therapy.

Experience and training

Mary is a Licensed Independent Social Worker practicing in Iowa.