Mary McLaggan, LPC, LMHC - Therapist in Iowa

CBT techniques
DBT skills
Attachment focus

About Mary

Mary McLaggan is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with 20 years of experience. She is based in Iowa and works in both English and Spanish. Mary helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, anger, and life transitions, and she supports those dealing with ADHD and relationship or intimacy concerns.

Her style centers on practical conversation and collaborative planning. Sessions focus on identifying patterns that increase frustration or resentment. She uses straightforward tools to change how people respond in the moment and over time. That can mean working on thought patterns, learning new communication habits, or practicing emotion regulation skills.

Mary draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how past relationships shape reactions today. She also uses elements of client-centered work to keep the conversation grounded in the person's experience. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques are used when clients want concrete skills to manage mood, sleep, and stress.

She has experience with a wide range of concerns including trauma and abuse, grief, parenting strain, career stress, and bipolar conditions. Mary also notes additional focus areas such as adoption and foster care issues, aging concerns, autism spectrum considerations, body image, codependency, and communication problems.

People who want a direct, practical approach to reducing anger and improving daily functioning will find sessions that emphasize action steps and clear goals. To begin, the usual process is to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.

How her approaches translate to online work

Mary commonly uses Attachment-Based Therapy to look at how early relationship patterns affect current reactions. This approach helps identify why certain situations trigger strong anger or distance and then suggests practical changes in relating. Client-Centered Therapy is used to keep sessions focused on the person's experience, letting them set the pace while the therapist listens and reflects. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) provides hands-on techniques to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that feed anger and anxiety.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Mary will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and daily life. She combines listening with skill teaching so the plan can change as needs and progress become clearer.

Session logistics should be confirmed before booking, since specific formats are not listed in the biography. Ask about available options and choose what fits your schedule. Online sessions often make it easier to fit counseling into a workday, allow shorter check-ins when needed, or avoid travel time. These practical benefits can help people practice new skills more consistently and keep momentum between sessions.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Self esteem Depression Coping with life changes ADHD

Also works with

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse GriefIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDivorce and separation Domestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgiveness Guilt and shameHoardingImmigration issuesImpulsivity Infidelity Isolation / loneliness JealousyLife purposeMidlife crisis Mood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues Young adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

20+ years

Listed in

Texas, Iowa

Languages

English, Spanish

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, depression, anger, ADHD, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, and related concerns such as sleep and career stress.

What is her therapy style like?

Her style is practical and conversational, focusing on clear steps and skills to change responses and improve daily functioning.

How much clinical experience does she have?

Mary has 20 years of professional experience as a counselor and mental health therapist.

What credentials and location are listed?

She holds LPC and LMHC credentials and practices from Iowa with licensure noted as TX LPC and IA LMHC.

Which languages are supported in sessions?

Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.

What session formats are available?

Please confirm the current session formats before booking, as specific formats are not listed in the biography.

How are payments and cost handled?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I start working with her?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.