Mary Widseth , LPC

Mary Widseth is a licensed professional counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor who focuses on helping adults and families navigate complex life challenges. She holds a master’s degree in Community Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling from Saint Cloud State University and a certificate in Autism, and she earned her bachelor’s degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of Wisconsin–Stout. Mary draws on education and hands-on experience supporting people with cognitive, communication, mental, and physical differences in work and community settings.

Early in her career she coordinated group and individual work placements, provided transportation and on-the-job training, and acted as a bridge between clients, staff, and employers when language or communication barriers arose. She has practical experience using sign language, rebus boards, and picture books, and she has worked with conversational Spanish when needed. A lifelong perspective shaped in part by her own diagnosis of cerebral palsy informs her creative problem solving and empathy for clients facing unequal systems and access issues.

Following graduate school, Mary completed two years of in-home therapy for children aged 7 to 18 and their families, followed by two years of office-based mental health work with adults and children. Her clinical experience includes supporting people through trauma and abuse, grief, depression, anxiety, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, ADHD, autism, and behavioral and emotional regulation challenges. She has worked with diverse populations including transgender and bisexual adults and those pursuing surgical body changes as part of their mental health care. Mary integrates a range of therapeutic methods to improve communication, family functioning, daily coping, and vocational or life goals.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Mary Widseth draws from client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and EMDR to tailor support to each person's needs. Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathy and collaboration, allowing the person’s own goals and values to guide the work while the therapist offers understanding and support. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, and daily stressors. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-informed approach used to process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional intensity, useful for people who have experienced abuse, accidents, or other distressing events.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Mary works with clients to explore treatment options, aligns strategies with individual goals and preferences, and adjusts methods over time so the care fits the person rather than forcing a single model.

Online sessions offer flexible ways to engage with therapy through video calls, phone conversations, live chat, or text-based messaging. These formats can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity of care from home or work, and access licensed professionals from different locations while preserving the therapeutic connection and ongoing progress.