Mara Bruckner

Mara Bruckner is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) based in California with 22 years of clinical experience. She has worked in private practice and in county and state funded agencies, helping people across a wide range of life stages. Mara often supports people facing anxiety, depression, relationship strain, and challenges connected to autism spectrum conditions and intellectual disability.

Her background includes working with children, teens, and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, providing services such as play therapy, applied behavior analysis support, social skills groups, and parent guidance. In private practice she has focused on teens and adults with Asperger’s or high functioning autism, as well as people dealing with mood and anxiety concerns.

Mara describes her counseling style as warm and interactive. She uses clear, practical conversation and will bring gentle humor into sessions when appropriate. She aims to tailor her approach to each person’s needs and encourages active participation from clients.

Clinically she draws from client-centered work, cognitive behavioral techniques, psychodynamic ideas, and solution-focused strategies. These methods are combined as needed to address issues like grief, addiction, parenting pressures, anger, self-esteem, and coping with life changes.

She works with people across adult life stages and with adolescents, and she can help parents seeking guidance. Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Client-centered work focuses on listening and building a trustworthy connection. It centers the client's experience and helps people clarify what matters most to them, which can support relationship, grief, and self-esteem work.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people identify thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and then practices concrete changes. CBT can be useful for anxiety, depression, phobias, and relationship patterns by teaching skills and small experiments between sessions.

Finding the right approach is often collaborative. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods that fit the client's needs, and adjust plans as progress is made. Clients take part in choosing techniques and setting priorities.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life and to continue work between appointments. It can reduce travel time, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and help people stay consistent with sessions during life transitions. The biography does not list which online formats are offered, so confirm current session options before booking to match the format to daily routines and preferences.