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Welcome! Thank you for taking the time to visit this space...
I'm happy you are here. For 25+ years, it's been a pleasure to meet with people just like yourself, well, frankly, people like all of us: Those of us who may have felt lost, stuck, or hopeless, and who were seeking healing, compassionate support, and solutions toward achieving personal growth and peace. While I've had decades of experience in various settings, my specialty is working with adults of any age who've tried therapy in the past, but for whatever reason did not encounter the depth, meaning, or change they were hoping to find. I also specialize in the treatment of anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, and trauma (whether from childhood or adulthood). While that seems like a broad range of concerns, I've just been blessed to work with a variety of individuals and feel comfortable in particular with these topics or clients. I have worked in college counseling centers, hospital settings, the court system, in-home settings, community behavioral health centers, and in crisis units. I trained in graduate studies at Virginia Tech and have my undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Washington. Counseling is my third career path and it's a passion of mine.
Like many, I have also had a few twists and turns in my life, devastating losses and setbacks, and I believe these experiences help me to understand the depth of other's struggles and suffering. I also know that these roadblocks or obstacles can be overcome.
Let's find out how YOU can feel empowered again or ........for the very first time. You deserve it.
Mary Gaskill
What would you do if you knew you were 100 percent worthy of what you want in life? You do deserve to dream again and to imagine a life that is better for you.
What would you do if you knew you were 100 percent worthy of what you want in life? You do deserve to dream again and to imagine a life that is better for you.
Your potential is so much greater than your problem. Let me show you how you can trust life and trust yourself again. I humbly see my role as a facilitator to whom you can empty your heart and with whom you can suffer less. We will also work collaboratively to teach you ways to live a more open, fulfilling, & transformed life.
You are allowed to ask very important questions about your life. You're allowed to ask what serves YOU sometimes. And guess what?! The process of answering those questions can be relaxing and enjoyable!
New! Monthly Blog Post NOVEMBER 2025: How Can We Have Gratitude When Things Fall Apart? Click here....
New! Monthly Blog Post NOVEMBER 2025: How Can We Have Gratitude When Things Fall Apart? Click here....
November often brings talk of gratitude—the lists, the reflections, the reminders to “be thankful.” But what if you’re just not feeling it? What if life feels heavy, uncertain, or full of loss? Gratitude can seem like a language from another planet when you’re in survival mode.
The truth is, gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is okay. It’s about noticing what still is. It’s not a sugar coating; it’s a quiet shift in how we hold our pain.
When we’re struggling, it’s natural to close down. Our minds try to protect us from feeling too much. But gratitude—real gratitude—gently reopens us. It helps us reconnect with the small, steady things that keep us going: a cup of coffee, a friend who checks in, the sound of rain, a moment when we actually feel our breath.
As Pema Chödrön writes, healing begins when we “lean into the sharp points.” When we stop running from discomfort and simply stay present with it, we begin to soften. Ram Dass reminds us that suffering itself can be a teacher, showing us where our hearts are tender and alive. And Thomas Moore beautifully wrote that the soul grows not by escaping pain, but by finding meaning within it.
Gratitude, then, isn’t about being happy. It’s about being awake—to both the ache and the beauty of being human. It’s about letting a little light in, even when everything feels dim.
Five Ways to Cultivate Gratitude—Even When It’s Hard
Five Ways to Cultivate Gratitude—Even When It’s Hard
Ask: “What’s still holding me?”
When everything feels uncertain, take a moment to name what’s still steady. Maybe it’s your morning walk, your dog, a piece of music, or a memory that reminds you you’re loved.Feel Gratitude Through Your Senses
Sit for a minute and notice one thing you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste that brings even the smallest comfort. Gratitude often starts in the body before it reaches the mind.Write a Compassion Letter—to Yourself
Imagine a close friend was going through what you are right now. What would you say to them? Then read those same words aloud—to yourself.Find the Meaning in the Mess
Think of a hard time from your past. What did it teach you, strengthen in you, or open in you? Gratitude often hides in hindsight, waiting to be discovered.End the Day with “Enough”
Before bed, write down one thing that was enough for today. Not amazing, not perfect—just enough. Over time, these moments form a quiet rhythm of appreciation.
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