About Mary
Mary Bufford is a licensed clinical social worker in Tennessee with 13 years of experience. She focuses on helping people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, and depression. Mary works with each person at their own pace and respects the knowledge they already have about their life.
Mary believes people bring strengths that help them move forward. In sessions she listens carefully and helps clients spot patterns that get in the way.
Background and approach
She uses practical conversation and goal-focused steps so people can try things between meetings and notice small changes. Her approach is collaborative. Mary helps clients set clear, manageable goals and chooses strategies that fit daily life.
She aims to make therapy feel straightforward rather than overwhelming. Many people find this helpful when stress or worry makes decision-making harder. Mary draws on more than a decade of clinical work in Tennessee to inform her choices in session.
She keeps things simple and concrete so clients can use what they learn right away. Taking the first step can feel hard, and she acknowledges that effort while helping clients build momentum. Mary welcomes questions about how sessions work and what to expect.
She encourages a step-by-step start and works with each person to shape a plan that fits their needs and schedule.
How therapeutic approaches fit into online sessions
Mary uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical change and coping skills. One approach emphasizes identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and testing new ways of thinking to reduce anxiety and low mood; this helps people spot small shifts that make daily tasks easier. Another approach centers on building skills for managing stress and strong emotions, offering concrete tools to use when feeling overwhelmed or triggered.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before. Together they will try approaches that fit the client’s needs and adjust the plan based on what shows progress.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls allow fuller face-to-face conversation, phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited, live chat gives a shorter check-in option, and text-based messaging supports ongoing reflection between meetings. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep momentum between sessions.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also works with
- Experience
- 13 years
- Licensed
- Tennessee
- Languages
- English