Mary Thomas, LCSW, PEL

Mary was drawn to social work by her desire to help adolescents and adults develop emotional self-awareness, strength and resilience as they move towards independence. She uses a calm, reassuring and down-to-earth approach to connect with her clients and to empower them to identify the best path forward. Mary’s expertise includes working with clients struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma, as well as those navigating complex family dynamics and life transitions. Additionally, she has worked extensively with youth struggling with grief due to significant loss.  Mary draws on a variety of therapeutic approaches, including CBT, DBT, and psychodynamic theory. Mary has worked at Glenbrook South High School in Glenview and Kelvyn Park High School in Chicago. She currently works at Northwood Middle School in Highland Park.  Mary is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has her Professional Educators License. She earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago, and has bachelor’s and graduate degrees from Drake and Northwestern Universities, respectively.  To maintain balance, you’ll find Mary cheering on her favorite sports teams, walking/jogging in the forest preserve, absorbed in a good book or catching up with family and friends. To contact Mary, email mary@thebalancedcenter.com.