About Me

About Mary McDonald, LICSW

I have spent my career helping people understand what is really driving their thoughts, relationships, and patterns so they can actually change them.

Are you tired of repeating the same dynamics in relationships or life?

Do you feel as though you understand what’s wrong, but can’t shift the pattern?

Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, capable, and self-aware. But insight alone has not been enough. Something deeper is getting in the way, often rooted in early relationships or experiences that still shape feelings and responses today.

My Specialities

Availability: I work with clients in person in Cambridge, MA and via Telehealth across Massachusetts.

How I Work

Therapy with me is active, direct, and collaborative. I’m not the silent observer taking notes. I am engaged in the process with you, and I will share what I see.

We focus on what’s happening in real time, including what’s between us in the room. This is where patterns can show up most clearly and where change can begin.

I draw from:

  • Psychodynamic Therapy

  • Family systems theory

  • Attachment Theory

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Psychoanalytic training

My Background

Before becoming a therapist, I spent 16 years in the financial sector.

Some clients appreciate that I understand high pressure environments and the complexity of balancing work and personal life. I eventually realized I was more drawn to helping people and now bring all of myself into the work.

Outside of therapy, I enjoy reading, theater, art collecting, gardening, and travel.

If you’re ready to take the first step, I’m prepared to connect.

Education, Credentials, & Trainings

  • Masters in Social Work, Simmons College, Boston, MA

  • MBA, New York University

  • Bachelor’s Degree, Vassar College

  • Psychoanalytic Training Program, Massachusetts Institute of Psychoanalysis

  • Psychodynamic Fellowship Program, PINE Psychoanalytic Center

  • Couples Counseling Fellowship, The Psychodynamic Couple and Family Institute of New England

  • Fellowship Program, Boston Institute for Psychotherapy

  • Faculty, Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis

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