Life can ask a lot of us. There are seasons when we feel confident and grounded, and others when anxiety, relationships, motherhood, loss, or unexpected change leave us feeling less certain of ourselves. Therapy can offer a place to slow down, understand what you’re experiencing, and begin finding your way forward. At Stone Harbor, I provide thoughtful, experienced therapy for women navigating the many seasons of life.
Making Space for You
Life can feel overwhelming in ways you may not have expected. You may be struggling with anxiety or depression, navigating relationships or parenting, facing fertility challenges, adjusting to pregnancy or postpartum life, or simply trying to find your way through one of the many transitions that come with being a woman.
Sometimes there isn’t just one thing. Several parts of life can feel difficult at once, leaving you feeling stressed, disconnected, uncertain, or simply not like “you”.
I can offer you a place to slow down, make sense of what you’re experiencing, and begin creating meaningful change. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. We can start with where you are.
I invite you to explore these pages, learn more about me and my approach to therapy, and see if working together feels like the right next step.
✓ You’ve been feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, or simply not quite like yourself.
✓ You’re experiencing racing thoughts or replaying events or situations.
✓ You’ve been feeling badly about yourself, your life, or questioning your confidence and self-worth.
✓ You’re having a hard time in relationships with family, friends, children, or your partner or spouse.
✓ You have a tendency to put others first, have difficulty saying “no”, and feel you have little time for yourself.
✓ You find yourself overthinking, feeling stuck, or repeating patterns you would like to change.
✓ You’re moving through a change or new season of life and could use some support finding your way forward.
Let’s see if therapy might be right for you…
You don’t have to be in crisis to begin therapy.
Mary Claire Kerwin, LCSW Anxiety Therapist for Women Garner, NC
Hello, I’m Mary… a therapist for women in North Carolina and New York.
Being a woman can mean carrying a lot. There are relationships to nurture, responsibilities to manage, expectations to meet, and often an unspoken expectation to make it all look easy. This can sometimes show up in anxiety, relationship struggles, difficult life transitions, grief, and depression.
After more than three decades as a therapist, I’ve learned that every woman has a story - one shaped by the people she loves, the roles she carries, the challenges she’s faced, and the person she is still becoming.
My own experiences have shaped the way I approach this work, too. I’d love to tell you a little more about who I am, what I believe, and what you can expect from me as your therapist.
Feeling Better is Only the Beginning
Our work together is about creating change you can feel in your everyday life. I’ll help you understand what’s keeping you stuck, find practical ways to handle things differently, and build the confidence to trust yourself again.
You will begin to:
Quiet the constant overthinking and experience less worry
Feel calmer and more in control of your emotions
Set boundaries without so much guilt
Communicate more openly and confidently
Stop repeating patterns that aren’t working for you
Make decisions with greater confidence
Feel more present in your relationships and your life
Have more energy for the people and things that matter to you
Feel more like yourself again
The goal isn’t just to get through what’s hard. It’s to help you create a life that feels better to live.
It’s completely normal to have questions before starting therapy. Here are a few things you might be wondering — and a few things that are simply good to know.
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Psychotherapy is simply a place where you can talk openly about what’s going on in your life. I will be there to listen, understand, and help. Therapy can give you space to sort through thoughts and feelings, make sense of patterns, work through difficult experiences, and consider what you might want to change in your life. You don’t need to be in crisis or have everything figured out before you begin. Sometimes therapy is about healing; sometimes it’s about growing, finding clarity, or simply feeling more like yourself again.
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You don’t have to be in crisis or know exactly what you want to change to benefit from therapy. You may simply feel stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or ready for something to be different. Therapy can offer a place to better understand what you’re experiencing, recognize patterns, and explore what you want moving forward. If you’re curious about whether therapy could help, that may be reason enough to start.
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Our first session is really a chance for us to get to know one another. We’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, what’s been going on in your life, and what you’d like to be different. I’ll ask some questions to help me understand you and your experiences, but there’s nothing you need to prepare ahead of time. We’ll go at a pace that feels comfortable and begin figuring out together what you’d like our work to focus on.
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There isn’t a set timeline for therapy. Some people come with a specific concern they’d like to work through and find that a shorter period of therapy is enough. Others find it helpful to continue for longer as their needs and goals evolve. We’ll check in along the way about how things are going and whether therapy continues to feel useful. You’re never committing to a certain number of sessions—we’ll decide together what makes sense for you.
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I provide virtual therapy only. I’ll admit, I never thought I’d enjoy virtual therapy as much as I do. For most of my career, I worked with clients in person. But I’ve found that virtual therapy can feel just as personal and connected, with the added comfort and convenience of meeting from your own space. So if it feels right for you, let’s connect!
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I’ll be seeing you from the comfort of my home! While I reside in NC (just outside Raleigh), I’m originally from NY and a big part of me will always think of that as home. I still have family there, but I have to be honest… I absolutely love NC and never plan on leaving :)
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The traditional appointment time lasts for 45-50 minutes, although you are not required to have that long a session if you feel you need an abbreviated one. I want to work with your comfort level and meet you where you are.
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I do not accept insurance as I am a private-pay provider. You may use out-of-network benefits if your insurance offers it and I can provide you with a “superbill” for reimbursement. Because benefits vary by plan, I recommend contacting your insurer directly to ask about your out-of-network coverage for psychotherapy.
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Stone Harbor Therapy is a private-pay practice. The fee for an initial assessment is $250, individual therapy sessions are $225, and couples/relationship sessions are $275. A limited number of reduced-fee appointments may be available based on individual circumstances.
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Therapy is a big decision and choosing the therapist that is right for you is important! If after looking at my website and reading a bit about me, you feel we might work well together, I welcome you to reach out. I would love to hear from you! An initial free 15 minute consultation is available and we can go from there.