Mary Stewart-Thornton

Mary Stewart-Thornton, LMSW, is a licensed therapist with 11 years of experience who has spent her career supporting people through complex emotional challenges and relationship concerns. Before entering therapy practice, she worked for 25 years in Children’s Protective Services, and earlier in psychiatric hospital settings with adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients. This breadth of experience informs a steady, compassionate style for helping clients make sense of intense emotions and build healthier ways of coping.

She works with adults, families, and teens, with a strong passion for supporting teens facing mental health challenges and behavioral issues. Much of her professional background includes working with at-risk youth in their homes and communities, with an emphasis on helping the younger generation feel empowered, confident, and capable of change. She also has experience in psychiatric hospitals and residential programs, and she can help clients navigate the Children’s Protective Services investigation process when that is part of their lives.

Mary’s therapy is grounded in evidence-based therapeutic techniques and centers on creating a compassionate, non-judgmental space. She focuses on building self-compassion and self-esteem, strengthening communication skills, and working through difficult feelings such as guilt and shame. Her aim is collaborative and empathetic: helping clients manage stress and anxiety, practice self-forgiveness, and develop more meaningful relationships with themselves and others while moving toward positive, lasting change.