About

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.

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 August 2025: The August Shift: Easing Back into structure. Click here....

As the light of August begins to soften and the evenings grow slightly cooler, something subtle starts to stir—not just in the air, but in the psyche. Whether you're a college student or a working adult, mid-August often signals a quiet inner jolt: the return to structure. The free-flowing days of summer—days touched by sunlight, spontaneity, and vacations—give way to planners, deadlines, and the unmistakable call of productivity culture revving back to life. Who doesn't get that sinking feeling in their stomach when we see back-to-school sales, more traffic in town, or other reminders that life is about to return to something more urgent?

This transition, while seasonal and entirely expected, can also be surprisingly disorienting. Many people feel an odd sense of grief, anticipation, and even resistance during this time. For some, it stirs childhood memories—those final August days of school supply shopping and the dread of early mornings. For others, it evokes a deeper question: Am I ready to face my life again at full speed?

From a psychodynamic perspective, these moments often reawaken earlier relational and developmental experiences tied to performance, responsibility, or self-worth. Meanwhile, the humanistic lens invites us to pause and ask: What does my soul need as I step into another cycle of becoming?

Below are five soulful yet grounded tips for making this return not just bearable—but meaningful.

Five Ways to Embrace the Return to Routine

1. Acknowledge the Shift Without Judgment

Instead of brushing off your resistance or anxiety, try honoring it.

“Of course this feels hard. My nervous system has been attuned to rest, and now I’m being asked to activate again.”

Gently naming the emotional texture of this transition creates spaciousness and self-compassion.

2. Create a Ritual of Closure

Just as we mark beginnings, we can ritualize endings. Light a candle, journal about your summer, or spend one intentional day doing something slow and nourishing to “thank” the season before stepping forward.

Also, look at pictures of past semesters or work moments where you were having fun or enjoying the situation, to remind you of these special times and that they will happen again.

3. Design Transitions, Not Just Schedules

Instead of snapping back into structure, ask: How can I ease in? Build in buffer time—mornings with music and tea, short walks between tasks, or even “sacred pauses” throughout your day that allow your body to catch up to your mind.

4. Listen to What the Melancholy Is Saying

That subtle heaviness many feel in late August may not just be about schedules—it may reflect an inner hunger for meaning, presence, or balance. Don’t silence it. Get curious.

“What part of me is asking for attention as I move forward?”

5. Set Intentions, Not Just Goals

Rather than diving straight into achievement mode, set soulful intentions:

“I intend to stay rooted as I grow.”
“I will value rhythm over rush.”
“I will measure success not just by output, but by alignment.”

Finally, think about your vision or mission for the year, rather than setting strict goals, like "I want better grades." Why are you doing this field or study, or work? What initially guided you to it? Pondering these purposes can lead to some comfort in beginning this season again. ~Mary

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