Hi there! I’m glad you decided to look further into my bio. Once again, my name is Mary Barsoum, and I am a Masters level counselor at TSC! A few quick fun facts about me are that I am a dog mom, I am Egyptian, and I have never broken a bone. My dog’s name is AK and he’s a year old, so he’s got quite a bit of energy. I have been to Egypt a handful of times, so feel free to ask me any questions about my experiences and the cultural differences.
I received a BS in Psychology and a minor in Social Welfare from Lipscomb University here in Nashville, TN. I love the way my education was designed to show how faith, social sciences, and counseling were interconnected! At UTK I am on my way to receiving a Master of Social Work degree. My training teaches emphasizing client strengths, especially if the client can’t identify them for themselves, using a holistic approach when interacting with clients, and using treatment methods that have been supported by research.
While at TSC, I look forward to working with a wide array of clients including children, couples, teens, and adults. I strive to create a welcoming and safe space for all clients. I hope to allow clients to feel heard, encouraged, and supported. Counseling can be daunting, but I look forward to working alongside clients to meet any goals they set!
Therapeutic Modalities
CBT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is based on the principle that thoughts, emotions, and behavior are directly related. Thoughts affect your feelings, your feelings affect your behavior, and your behavior affects your thoughts. By understanding this cycle, we can adjust our internalized thoughts and feelings as well as the behaviors we exhibit. CBT is commonly used for treating depression and anxiety.
Solutions-focused Therapy
Solutions-focused therapy focuses on finding solutions to problems through a mix of Q&A about the past, present, and future and coaching led by the clinician.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing at its core is about helping clients feel empowered to seek their change. This involves using open-ended questions, affirmative speech, reflecting on what the clients say, and summarizing so that clients feel heard and engaged.
Play Therapy
Play therapy is often used with children and adults as an alternative form of communication and (re)processing. During the session, the client is engaged in symbolic play.
Trauma-Informed Care
TIC is vital for any interaction with clients. It is understanding that we all experience different levels of trauma and do our best to not re-traumatize clients. Trauma Informed Oregon explains it well by stating that, “Trauma informed care (TIC) recognizes that traumatic experiences terrify, overwhelm, and violate the individual. Trauma informed care is a commitment not to repeat these experiences and, in whatever way possible, to restore a sense of safety, power, and self-worth.
Specializations
- Play Therapy
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Self-esteem
- Trauma
Education & Training
- BS in Psychology, Lipscomb University
- Motivational Interviewing 1&2 (focused on using MI in a Substance Abuse clinical setting), Lipscomb University
- Child Abuse Mandated Reporting Training, Tennessee
- Trauma Informed Care training with Trauma Informed Oregon
- Suicide Prevention Training
- Building Strong Brains: TN ACES Training