Mary Blankenburg, LISW

Therapist in Iowa

Mary Blankenburg is a licensed independent social worker (LISW) with 35 years of practice.

Licensed inIowa
License01283
NPI 1104840347
Experience35+ years
LanguagesEnglish

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Mary

Mary Blankenburg is a licensed independent social worker (LISW) with 35 years of practice. She centers the therapeutic relationship as the main tool for change and meets people with warmth and steady presence. Her style is calm and direct, aimed at helping clients feel understood and safer in their lives.

She has worked across community mental health, adolescent services, and a long independent practice in Iowa. That range shaped a practical approach to problems such as anxiety, depression, grief, and addiction.

Background and approach

She also supports people facing bipolar symptoms, panic attacks, and the strain of caregiving and compassion fatigue. Mary draws on Attachment-based therapy along with ACT, CBT, DBT, and client-centered methods. She uses these approaches to help people notice thoughts and feelings, build stronger emotional connections, and try small changes that can ease daily stress.

She pays attention to how past hurts influence present relationships and coping patterns. Her work often includes simple, body-focused awareness to help people recognize when they feel unsafe or overwhelmed. This helps with trauma recovery, anger, sleep problems, and chronic pain or illness.

Sessions move at a practical pace and focus on skills people can use between meetings. People who come to Mary typically want steady, experienced support for life changes and emotional wounds. She encourages self-compassion and gradual steps toward feeling more grounded and connected.

Credentials

LISW (Iowa): License 01283 · expires December 2026
NPI: 1104840347 · national provider identifier

Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Mary lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Trauma and abuse
Grief
Self esteem
Depression
Addictions
LGBT
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Intimacy-related issues
Sleeping disorders
Anger management
Career difficulties
Bipolar disorder
Coping with life changes
Compassion fatigue
ADHD
Abandonment
Attachment issues
Avoidant personality
Body image
Chronic pain, illness, and disability
Co-morbidity
Codependency
Communication problems
Control issues
Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
Dependent personality
Forgiveness
Guilt and shame
Life purpose
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Self-love
Social anxiety and phobia

Approaches Mary names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

Attachment and Acceptance approaches for online care

Attachment-based work focuses on how early relationships shape emotional safety and connection. In sessions this looks like talking through relationship patterns and practicing different ways of relating so clients feel more supported. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches people to notice painful thoughts without getting stuck and to choose actions that match their values; it is helpful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) identifies unhelpful thinking and tests new behaviors to reduce symptoms like panic, sleep problems, and low mood.

Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, ask about what has helped or not helped before, and try methods that fit the client's needs and preferences. Together they will adjust the plan as changes occur and new challenges come up.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make care more flexible. Video is useful for deeper conversations and interactive work. Phone sessions can fit into a work break or require less bandwidth. Live chat and text messaging can be used for brief check-ins, homework support, or when writing helps organize thoughts. These options help people fit therapy into busy lives while keeping a steady therapeutic connection.

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Frequently asked

What kinds of concerns does she help with?

She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, and relationship or intimacy-related issues. She also supports work on ADHD, bipolar symptoms, panic, and compassion fatigue.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her style is warm, steady, and practical. She uses a relationship-first approach and offers tools from several therapies to address thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

What is her professional background?

Mary has 35 years of clinical experience working in community mental health, adolescent services, and independent practice. That history informs a broad, practical approach to care.

What license and location apply to her practice?

She holds an LISW license in Iowa and provides services from that state.

Which languages and international options are available?

Sessions are offered in English. She does not accept international clients at this time.

What session formats does she use?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.

How does payment work and what does it cost?

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

How do I begin working with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on therapist availability.

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