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MB Portrait of Mara Bruckner

Mara Bruckner

Experienced LMFT blending warmth and evidence-based care

LMFT California

Experience
22 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages
English
Continue with Mara

About Mara

Mara Bruckner is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California with 22 years of experience across independent practice and public agencies.

Background and approach

Her clinical background includes work with children, teens, and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum conditions, where she provided behavior-focused interventions, play-based methods, social skills groups, and parent guidance. In independent practice she has supported teens and adults with anxiety, depression, and other challenges that often arise during adolescence, as well as adults across the lifespan.

Her counseling approach is warm, interactive, and collaborative, with a practice philosophy that adapts methods to fit each person’s needs. She blends client-centered listening with cognitive behavioral strategies and psychodynamic and solution-focused ideas as appropriate, and she often uses gentle humor to help ease difficult topics.

Mara’s areas of focus include stress, relationships, intimacy-related concerns, grief, addictions, LGBT issues, parenting, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes, along with a range of related concerns such as abandonment, communication problems, isolation, and hoarding. She offers sessions in English and works with clients through a variety of online formats to accommodate different schedules and preferences.

How chosen approaches translate to online care

Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathetic listening and prioritizing the client's perspective, helping people feel heard and supported while they explore personal goals and concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; it is commonly used for anxiety, depression, phobias, and relationship difficulties and often includes practical exercises that can be practiced between sessions. Psychodynamic Therapy explores how past experiences and patterns influence present feelings and relationships, supporting deeper insight into recurring themes that affect current functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and the therapist collaborates with each client to determine which methods best align with their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative process may blend elements from different approaches so care is tailored and responsive rather than one-size-fits-all.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access for people with busy schedules or limited local options. These formats allow continuation of work between appointments and make it easier to fit short check-ins or longer therapeutic work into everyday life while maintaining regular contact with a licensed professional.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Mara commonly address?
Her practice focuses on a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy-related problems, addictions, grief, parenting, bipolar disorder, self-esteem, and career-related concerns.
What is her general therapeutic style?
She uses a warm, interactive, and collaborative style that tailors treatment to each client and may include gentle humor to make difficult topics more approachable.
How long has she practiced clinically?
She brings 22 years of clinical experience working in both independent practice and county and state funded agencies.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the credential CA LMFT 36105 and practices in California.
Can non-English speakers access her services?
Sessions are offered in English only, and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
She meets with clients using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different needs and schedules.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy with her?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesDepression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTGriefParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changes

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeCommunication problemsControl issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingImpulsivityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSexual dysfunctionSocial anxiety and phobia

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Psychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

22+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English