My Qualifications

Work Experience

Owner and Operator of Mary Coombs, LCSW and Equine Assisted Therapy. September 2022-present

Providing trauma-informed psychotherapy to individuals, families, couples, and groups. Offering treatment planning, somatic interventions, bi-lateral stimulation, trauma processing, movement therapies, art therapies, and more.

Animal-assisted therapies located in Stockton, California.

Psychotherapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, 4 Healing Center (Animals 4 Healing,) Utah: August 2016-August 2022.

Providing individual, group, and family counseling to a diverse population with various psychosocial and mental health related concerns. Provided trauma-focused interventions, crisis support, case management, treatment planning, and professional and personal development. Training and academic development including supporting interns, scheduling, and program development. Population includes veterans, refugees, combat survivors, survivors of domestic violence, survivors of complex trauma and grief, individuals with end-of-life challenges, those with chronic illness, Autistic and neurodivergent individuals, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those struggling with social/religious alienation.

Animal-Assisted therapies including equine-assisted therapy at Taylor Horse Stables. Included working with a team of two therapists and four horses to provide therapeutic equine-learning activities, horsemanship training, and therapeutic riding.

Administrative assistant and board member (fundraising, securing donations, document and policy creation, etc.). Social media manager, part-time marketing, content creation.

Direct Support Professional, CTA Community Supports, Utah: July 2005-August 2011, returned to company 2014-2016.

Administering care to individuals with developmental delays including assistance with daily hygiene needs, behavioral interventions, community access, case management, transportation, and other day to day tasks. Some clinical notation. Population consisted of neurodivergent individuals requiring daily support.

Counselor and Community Empowerment Intern, Hartland Community Center, Utah via MSW Practicum: January 2015-2016 Spring.

Practicum Placement during MSW program. Position provided assistance to refugee and international populations in job training, case management, trauma counseling, and group therapy with children, Included a heavy emphasis on community building and capacity building of partnering agencies. Populations consisted of those with severe combat, immigration, and relocation trauma.

School Counselor Intern, Stansbury Elementary, Utah via MSW Practicum: 2014-2015.

Practicum Placement during MSW program. Working as intern in a Title-1 elementary school to assist students with academic struggles, truancy, emotional and social concerns, access to community resources, individual and group counseling, and other duties as required. Population consisted of individuals with severe trauma and instability related to poverty and family conflicts, developmental delays and learning challenges, and more.

Counselor and Case Manager/Drug and Alcohol Counseling Intern, Westcare Women’s and Children’s Campus, Nevada: 2012-2014.

Managing a caseload of clients at a rehabilitation facility for homeless drug dependent mothers and women including trauma-focused interventions, crisis support, case management, treatment planning, and clinical notation. Population consisted of individuals suffering chronic homelessness, addiction, racial discrimination, human trafficking, developmental and cognitive disabilities, etc.

Counselor and Program Coordinator, New Dawn Recovery, California: 2011-2012

Counseling individuals with eating disorders and various co-morbid conditions (Depression, PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, Anxiety, etc) including individual and group counseling. Program coordination including billing, purchasing, scheduling, hiring, training, and program development. Population consisted of adult women with sexual, neglect, and physical traumas.

Nineteen years of experience in mental health services, including nine years as a practicing trauma-informed therapist with individuals, groups, couples, teens, and children. Life long experience providing physical care and support to family members with disabilities. Mental health services provided to neurodivergent and disabled people throughout my career.

Skilled in horse handling and equine-assisted therapy.

Experience in serving a wide variety of populations including LGBTQIA+, refugees, people in residential facilities (providing care to people with eating disorders, addictions, homelessness), and more.

Expertise in DBT, TF-CBT, MBB, ACT, IFS, MI, Object Relations, Attachment Therapy for Complex Trauma, Seeking Safety, Crisis Management, Ethics, and Suicide Prevention, Play Therapy, Expressive Art Techniques, and Movement-Based therapies.

Licenses and Certs