Mara Bruckner, LMFT

Mara Bruckner is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) practicing in California with 22 years of clinical experience. She has worked in private practice as well as county and state-funded agencies, and has supported people across a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, relationship strain, and addiction.

Much of her early work involved behavior-focused services for children, teens, and adults on the autism spectrum. That work included play-based approaches, applied behavior analysis (ABA), social skills groups, and guidance for parents. In private practice she continued to see teens and adults with Asperger’s or high-functioning autism alongside people facing mood and anxiety disorders.

Her approach blends practical and reflective work. She uses cognitive behavioral techniques to address patterns of thought and behavior. She also draws on psychodynamic ideas to look at past influences, and solution-focused and client-centered methods to find steps that fit a person’s life.

Mara aims for a warm, interactive therapy style with honest feedback and occasional humor. She encourages clients to take an active role in therapy and tailors strategies to individual needs. This can include short-term problem solving or deeper work on long-term patterns.

Areas of focus include aging and geriatric issues, grief, parenting concerns, intimacy and communication problems, coping with life changes, and issues related to self-esteem and isolation. Sessions are conducted in English and reflect her years of varied clinical settings and populations.

Approach-driven online therapy options

Mara commonly uses cognitive behavioral and client-centered approaches in her work. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and helps people learn manageable skills to reduce anxiety, depression, and repetitive behaviors. Client-centered therapy emphasizes listening, acceptance, and collaboration so clients can find their own solutions and feel understood.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. She will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, then tailor methods to the person in front of her. That collaboration can mean mixing short-term problem solving with deeper exploration over time.

Confirm current online session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats. Many people find online therapy helps fit sessions into busy lives by reducing travel time, making it easier to schedule around work or caregiving, and allowing shorter check-ins when that suits the day. Therapists can also adapt exercises, homework, and communication methods so work continues between meetings.