Dr. Shakena Mabry , LCSW

Dr. Shakena Mabry is a licensed clinical social worker with 12 years of experience. She practices in Maryland and focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship concerns. She also works with issues like self-esteem, addiction, grief, and challenges related to sexuality and LGBT concerns.

She approaches work in a straightforward, respectful way. She treats each person as the expert on their own life and builds on the strengths they already have. Sessions are aimed at practical steps people can use between meetings to feel steadier and more capable.

Her background includes a range of clinical approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. She draws from different methods to match what a person needs rather than relying on one single technique.

People often come to talk about big life changes, caregiver stress, feelings of isolation, or mood disorders like bipolar and seasonal affective disorder. She also supports those coping with trauma, compassion fatigue, and parenting strain. Conversations focus on clear goals, coping tools, and small changes that add up over time.

Dr. Mabry aims to create a calm, practical space where clients can try new ways of responding to stress and hurts. She helps people clarify what matters to them, reduce behaviors that get in the way, and build routines that support daily functioning.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and then choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for stress, anxiety, and navigating life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on spotting unhelpful thinking patterns and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety and low mood. EMDR is an approach used to process past traumatic memories so they cause less distress, which can help people with post-traumatic stress and trauma-related symptoms.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Dr. Mabry will listen to a person's goals and preferences, explain different options, and try methods that fit their pace. This collaboration helps shape a plan that feels practical and sustainable for each person.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet across video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat works well for shorter check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to continue work even when schedules change.