Mara Counseling & Mary Ashley Allen LPC
I specialize in getting to the root of your concerns, guiding you towards enduring wellbeing and lasting change.
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I (Mary Ashley Allen LPC) wear all the hats at Mara Counseling. I’m the one on the other side of every word on this website or email reply you receive.
Mara Counseling is a place where all emotional states matter and pave our paths to profound joy and healing. Mara Counseling offers a safe place to explore whatever state you find yourself in by utilizing innovative skills, researched techniques, and ancient wisdom that integrates the body as much as the mind in the healing process. My deep sensitivity and attunement can hold space for those states, and my holistic approach empowers you in your healing journey—a journey with fewer fears, hesitations, sorrows, pains, and masks needed.
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I help guide clients towards deeper, longer-lasting healing.
I love guiding with college students, adults of all ages, and neurodiverse couples.
I can help you with concerns like: anxiety, attention/focus, adhd/AuDHD/neurodivergence, overstimulation, depression, grief/loss, trauma, guilt/shame, overwhelm, people-pleasing, perfectionism, chronic health factors, boundaries skills, coping skills, spiritual/religious/existential concerns, getting stuck in fight/flight/freeze/fawn, toxicity/trouble/conflict in relationships, intimacy issues, and more.
I approach therapy through the lenses of: somatic integration, Subtle Yoga, mindfulness, trauma-informed lenses, existential/spiritual integration, cognitive/behavioral, psychodynamic, attachment theories, depth, some principles of radically open DBT and traditional DBT, attachment theory, sexuality and sociocultural factors, biological/neurological factors, and more.
I offer trauma-informed yoga services to small groups, couples, and individuals to complement traditional therapies.
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I am licensed in the state of South Carolina as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and my license number is 8144. I’m also licensed as a Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado and my license number there is 0019851 .
I am trained in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapies and Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapies by Embody Lab.
I have received formal and private training in attachment theory, internal family systems, sensorimotor techniques, Safe and Sound Protocol (upon request), EMDR, somatic experiencing (SE), applied polyvagal theory (PVT), the Autonomic Compass (Gabriel Natureza), accelerated reprocessing/resolution (ART), cognitive/behavioral techniques (CBT), principles of spiritual direction, brief psychodynamic interventions, dialectical therapy principles (DBT), radically-open DBT principles, exposure and response prevention (ERP), depth psychology, psychoanalytic techniques, neurodivergence, integrative couples work, multiculturally-informed approaches, telehealth services, projective techniques, and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).
I attended graduate school at Richmont Graduate University where I received my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and certificate in Sex Therapy, emphasizing sensate-focused techniques. My undergraduate degree is a BA in Spanish Literature and Culture from the University of Georgia.
My yoga training took place through Subtle Yoga. I am credentialed as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) through Yoga Alliance.
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I enjoy getting creative, whether that means sewing, writing poetry, or playing around with art supplies.
When I can or want to, I love to read for fun and to learn, gravitating towards sci-fi and fantasy as well as spiritual texts and self-help books.
I’m my healthiest self when I’m moving which often looks like weightlifting, practicing mindful movement or yoga, changing my hair color, being outside, or playing with my dog.
I love to indulge in sweets. Ice cream is a favorite, and I’m always watching baking shows to learn more and get inspired.
I’m married and live in Greenville and am originally from the metro Atlanta area.
specialty: somatic therapy
What most people want to know about somatic therapy is what is it and would I benefit from it? So let’s start with what is it…
Somatic-informed therapies consider the body’s role just as essential as the mind’s in growth and healing. In fact, neuroscience and neurobiology supports this: the mind is neurally rooted in the body. Instead of a brain-centric and verbal-only therapy approach, Mara Counseling provides a balanced perspective that holds sacred the body, mind, and soul.
There are many types of somatic approaches to therapy including mindfulness skills, yoga, somatic experiencing, sensorimotor psychotherapy, EMDR, art therapy, dance therapy, music therapy, Safe and Sound Protocol, and more! At Mara Counseling, we guide you to a clearer understanding of how deep nervous system patterns developed across a life span can impact your mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
Traditional therapies fall under a “talk” therapy umbrella, which means they rely a lot on verbal processing and cognitive functioning. In somatic therapy, your therapist is trained to help you heal when you cannot articulate an experience or when your brain and body are too overwhelmed or shut down to process. This is because somatic or body therapists are trained to utilize the nervous system’s innate and untapped (non-verbal) tools.
Somatic therapy works wonders for anyone with a brain and a body. Somatic therapy can be particularly helpful to those who don’t feel they fit in to “dominant” cultural rules, norms, or expectations. So whether you (a) have generally tumultuous life experiences, (b) are neurodivergent, (c) fall in a minority category (like ethnically, sexually, racially), (d) have experienced extraordinary circumstances (like trauma or chronic health factors), or (e) all of the above, somatic therapy can lend a whole new perspective and insights tailored just to you.
somatics in session
Inviting movement or somatic/body-based activities into sessions starts slow, since most of us feel more comfortable with the cognitive aspect of our experiences. Most of the time, movement-based techniques are paired with talk-based approaches.
Movement is a collaborative process and is never required. I have seen movement in session described as subtle, intense, structured, organic, playful, and challenging. Some movement lasts briefly at 30 seconds and some last an entire session. Some may prefer to arrive dressed in a way that makes movement more possible and comfortable should the invitation arise, though many movements can be done seated and do not require special equipment or clothing. At times, we may utilize a larger room for movement-focused session. In session, movement is not considered exercising in the cardiovascular sense, though it can benefit the heart.
For many clients, somatic release may be an aspect of your goal to get to and resolve the roots of what is going on. A somatic release might be done through reprocessing painful memories, sensory integration, guided imagery, bilateral stimulation, psychodynamic techniques, and more. If you have found past therapy experiences have not gotten to the root of what’s going on, somatic techniques might be a good fit for you. All somatic-focused techniques aim to restore what cannot be restored through verbal processing alone.
Client Stories