Mary Martha Sayre
Fairfax, Virginia
Verified
My Approach to Therapy
I believe in the intrinsic worth of all human beings. I believe that many people do not see their value because it is overshadowed by the shame caused by their perceptions of who they should be and what they should be achieving. There are many reasons why these distortions exist; but one thing is for certain, it creates a feeling of being a fraud and deep shame. A lot of time and energy is used to counteract this secret shame. I feel that it is important to help teens and adults to become authentic and accepting of their strengths and weaknesses instead of putting our emotional and physical energy in denying and being afraid of our humanness. It is exhausting and paralyzing to be so afraid of our imperfections. I believe there is value in accepting our own humanity. We have to climb off our self imposed pedestal which is secretive and isolating and connect with other human beings without the fear of being discovered a fraud. It is so freeing and meaningful.
My Practice & Services
I take CareFirst, Anthem, Aetna, and Cigna.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
Shame caused by a variety of issues: Emotional abuse, Family-of-origin issues, Attention Deficit or Learning Disorders, Perfectionism, and Divorce are a few causes that can cause shame.
How Psychotherapy Can Help
When you see yourself through the lens of shame, it is like looking in one of those mirrors that distort your image. Yet, you really believe that is how you look! Our job will be to understand where that lens came from and replace it with a more realistic lens. I often say to folks, "If only you could see yourself as I see you because I am not seeing you through that same lens in which you are seeing yourself!" When they do, they stop running from themselves and start the process of self acceptance.
Expertise & Specialties
Age Groups I Work With
TeensAdults
Therapy Services & Specialties
Concerns & Challenges Addressed
AbandonmentAbuse / Abuse Survivor IssuesAdjusting to Change / Life TransitionsAnxietyAttachment IssuesBipolarBody ImageCaregiver Issues / Stress
Therapeutic Approaches & Evidence-Based Methods
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Emotion Focused Couples TherapyEmotionally Focused Couples TherapyHumanistic Psychology (humanism)Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB)Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)Narrative TherapyObject Relations
Industries & Communities
Union First