Mara Varnell-Christensen (she/her)

Healing occurs within relationship. By this, I mean new experiences with safe, accessible, responsive, and engaged others creates opportunity for true change and healing. As a therapist for individuals, I provide this safe space as you heal and create more opportunities for these kinds of relationships in your life. As a therapist for couples, I help you two become this safe, accessible, responsive, and engaged person for one another, creating safety and security in your relationship.

You might not think of your depression as a reasonable and logical coping mechanism to deal with present circumstances, but we all develop strategies to cope with the world around us. Be it past or present stressors and traumas, the state of the world, or a general sense of overwhelm and aloneness: when it all becomes too much, depression and hopelessness set in to protect us from over-expending energy when it all feels fruitless. We will learn to work with your depression.

You might not think of your anxiety as a reasonable and logical coping mechanism to deal with present circumstances, but we all develop strategies to cope with the world around us. Be it past or present stressors and traumas, the state of the world, or a general sense of overwhelm and aloneness: when it all becomes too much, anxiety sets in to try to gain control in what feels like an out-of-control world. We will learn to work with your anxiety.

Healing occurs within relationship. By this, I mean new experiences with safe, accessible, responsive, and engaged others creates opportunity for true change and healing. As a therapist for individuals, I provide this safe space as you heal and create more opportunities for these kinds of relationships in your life. As a therapist for couples, I help you two to become this safe, accessible, responsive, and engaged person for one another, creating safety and security in your relationship.

I utilize a feminist-based framework in all of my work, conceptualizing what brings clients to me through the lens of the impact of the systems around them. A feminist framework looks at the way gender, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, and cultural identity have impacted your individual experiences in the world and led you to seek therapy. Not only will I bring this into your therapy, but I will fight for the rights of marginalized people out of the therapy room.

Healing occurs within relationship. By this, I mean new experiences with safe, accessible, responsive, and engaged others creates opportunity for true change and healing. As a therapist for individuals, I provide this safe space as you heal and create more opportunities for these kinds of relationships in your life. As a therapist for couples, I help you two to become this safe, accessible, responsive, and engaged person for one another, creating safety and security in your relationship.

Everyone wants to love and be loved. Unfortunately, often with the people we love most in the world, conflict and communication challenges get in the way of feelings of safety and comfort in our romantic relationships. I will support you and your partner in finding this safety within your relationship to bring back healthy conflict management, feelings of romantic friendship, and a fulfilling sex life.