our approaches & specialties.

our approaches & specialties.

More about Mary Ashley

  • I (Mary Ashley Allen) 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.

  • I guide clients towards deeper, longer-lasting healing.

    I work well with concerns like: anxiety, attention/focus, overstimulation, depression, digging deeper into self-awareness, grief/loss, trauma, guilt/shame, overwhelm, people-pleasing, perfectionism, chronic health concerns, boundaries skills, coping skills, spiritual/religious/existential concerns, getting stuck in fight/flight/freeze, toxicity/trouble/conflict in relationships, and more.

    I approach therapy through the lenses of: spiritual integration, somatic integration, Subtle Yoga, mindfulness, trauma-informed lenses, 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.

  • 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, 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.

  • I attended graduate school at Richmont Graduate University where I received my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and certificate in Christian Sex Therapy. My undergraduate degree is a BA in Spanish Literature and Culture from the University of Georgia.

    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 .

    My yoga training took place through Subtle Yoga. I am credentialed as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) through Yoga Alliance. I have also received formal and private training in internal family systems, sensorimotor techniques, Safe and Sound Protocol (upon request), EMDR, somatic experiencing, applied polyvagal theory, accelerated reprocessing/resolution, cognitive/behavioral techniques, principles of spiritual direction, brief psychodynamic interventions, dialectical therapy principles, radically-open DBT principles, exposure and response prevention, depth psychology, psychoanalytic techniques, mindfulness-based stress reduction—that’s just what I can remember—more to come I’m sure!

Any of these sound like you?

I want to feel confident. When was I supposed to feel things click into place? Like I found my place in the world? I’m still waiting.

Let’s reconnect you to your innate wisdom and add some helpful information along the way, so you live a life filled with joy, meaning, and purpose.

I can’t seem to stop doing the very things I already know aren’t helping. I feel stuck.

Rediscover how to directly access healing and growth. And finally understand what’s happening behind those stuck, unresolved, and bypassed emotions.

Some things are going okay, but loneliness keeps creeping in, and I want it to stop.

Together we will visit what’s heavy or overwhelming, so you are free to be fully present to all that life offers.

It’s important to me to show up for others. At the same time, I’m so exhausted and feel so far from being at peace.

Find balance and authenticity in the roles you play. Discover how to love and care for yourself, so others can continue to count on you.

We can help.

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 therapy considers 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 therapy, Mara Counseling focuses on providing 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!

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.

somatics in session

When we introduce movement or somatic/body-based activities into sessions, it can be difficult to explain because so many factors impact what it might look like for you.

For starters, movement-based activities are often paired with talk-based activities. These activities can last 30 seconds or span an entire session. All movement-focused activities aim to restore skills that cannot be done through verbal processing alone. They are not considered exercising in the cardiovascular sense, though they can benefit the heart.

Some clients prefer to have the option to add movement into their session and may dress in a way that makes movement more comfortable. Oftentimes, movement is done seated and does not require special equipment or clothing. At times, we may utilize a meeting room for yoga-focused session, which I talk about next.

At times, yoga is utilized to improve the body-mind connection, which can be the focus of therapy or one moment during a session. Yoga is often an effective way to help heal or repair our nervous system, when it seems inefficient or not to be responding accurately to the current moment.

For those utilizing yoga as needed in session, this is a collaborative process and is never required. All movement is gentle and subtle, though variations for more intensity may be appropriate at times.

Sessions with a professional counselor and registered yoga teacher may be structured, and pre-planned formats for groups, couples, or individuals. And at times these sessions might be customized to meet needs as they arise in the moment. Some verbal exploration is part of this process, as it helps the therapist support you and your goals.

The therapist does not have training in touch-assisted yoga and is not able to provide physical adjustments.

yoga in session