Meet Mary Hoekje Gonzalez, MS, LLPC, NCC

Welcome! I'm a bilingual (English/Spanish), queer & AuDHD clinician specializing in trauma across the lifespan (ages 4+), who primarily works with the LGBTQIA+ community, relational concerns, mood & anxiety disorders, & providing therapy to other mental healthcare providers. I especially enjoy working with children, teens, & adults who struggle to feel accepted or understood in their lives or by their caregivers/loved ones. I am a LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity-affirming counselor, helping clients live their most authentic lives. Many of my clients are folks who might describe themselves as very self-aware or having had therapy in the past, who nonetheless find themselves struggling with anxiety, depression, or overcoming the impact of trauma (whether a single event, or repeated traumas throughout a lifetime).

I believe therapy is a sacred place where you deserve to be fully seen, heard, & understood so that you may see, hear, & understand yourself. I work to meet every client where they are with empathy, warmth, & genuineness to create a safe environment where healing can happen.

While I work with a variety of presenting concerns, some of the things I most commonly work with clients on are:

• Individuals across the lifespan with depression, anxiety, & life transitions

• Identity exploration

• Children ages 4+ who have experienced trauma (or any very stressful event)

• Adolescents & adults who have experienced trauma—whether one specific event, or repeated traumas throughout their lives

• Individuals across the lifespan struggling with self-image, self-acceptance, & self-criticism

• Mental health providers (therapists, counselors, etc.) seeking their own counseling

• Folks who may describe themselves as “intellectualizers” or “very self-aware” who are nonetheless struggling with their mental health. These clients have often been to therapy throughout their lifetime, & yet may still feel “stuck"

I am also trained in & provide psychological evaluations for immigration purposes as a contractor with Mendez CAPS. I have completed dozens of evaluations & reports for individuals pursuing asylum or refugee status, 601 waivers, U-Visas, T-Visas, and VAWA.

Theories of practice: Person-Centered/Rogerian, Child-Centered Play Therapy, Sandtray-Worldplay, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), & Radical Feminist theories of practice. I am currently pursuing my Registered Play Therapist certification under the supervision of a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor.