- 20 years experience
- Adoption and foster care
- English sessions
About Mary
Mary Ann Poynter is a licensed mental health counselor who brings 20 years of experience to her work. She focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship concerns, and coping with life changes. Mary Ann emphasizes each person's strengths and helps them build on what already works in their life.
Her approach is practical and direct. She listens, asks clear questions, and helps clients set small, manageable goals. Sessions often focus on improving communication, managing strong emotions, and building routines that reduce stress.
Mary Ann has worked across a wide range of situations during her career. That background includes supporting people facing abandonment, attachment issues, and challenges related to adoption and foster care. She has also helped those dealing with caregiver stress, cancer, body image, and age-related concerns.
She holds the credential Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LMHC, and Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC. Those appear in Illinois and South Carolina licensure records as provided. Mary Ann offers sessions in English and is based in Illinois.
If you are ready to take a first step, she encourages a short conversation to see if the fit feels right. The process begins by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a matching questionnaire, then scheduling according to the therapist's availability.
How therapeutic approaches guide online work
Mary Ann uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on clear skills and steps. One common approach centers on building coping skills and routines to reduce stress and manage anxiety, which helps when daily life feels overwhelming. Another approach emphasizes improving communication and managing strong emotions, useful for relationship concerns and grief responses.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She will discuss your goals and preferences, try methods that match your needs, and adjust plans based on what helps most. The therapist treats you as the expert on your story and works together with you to set practical, measurable steps.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are available. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also let you work on skills between meetings and bring real-life situations into discussion for problem solving.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
Illinois, Indiana, South Carolina
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?
Mary Ann focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship concerns, and coping with life changes. She also works with issues such as abandonment, attachment, adoption and foster care related concerns, caregiver stress, and body image.
How would sessions with her typically feel?
Expect a practical, straightforward style that emphasizes strengths and small goals. She listens, asks clear questions, and helps clients build routines to reduce stress and manage emotions.
What is her professional background?
She has 20 years of professional experience working with a range of concerns and age groups. That experience includes supporting people through life transitions and stressors across different settings.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds LMHC and LPC credentials and is based in Illinois. The credential abbreviations are Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor.
Which languages are used in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. After that you can schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.