Years of Experience & Training
My training as a clinical psychologist has provided me with a comprehensive framework for understanding your personal and family history, your biology, the way you think, the way you feel, and your behavior. I am well-versed in a range of therapeutic approaches and assessment techniques, and I personalize my approach to serve your unique needs. I have experience with individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy, and I am trained in educational and psychological testing and assessment.
Training & Memberships
I earned a dual-Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical & Social Specializations) from the University of Illinois at Chicago. As part of my doctorate, I gained practical experience at the University of Chicago Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Father Flanagan’s Home for Boys and Girls in Nebraska.
I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults in medical, educational and community settings in the United States and New Zealand for the past 20 years, including serving as a clinical supervisor for mental health professionals. My research and teaching interests include mindfulness and meditation, parenting, infant and child development, the process of acculturation, how cultural background shapes social perception, and the treatment of anxiety and depression. I have presented on some of these topics at professional conferences in New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
I am a member of the American Psychological Association and the Washington State Psychological Association. In the past, I have served as Secretary of the Executive Committee for the International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis (New Zealand Branch).
Dr. Mary Pat Traxler
Clinical Psychologist
“A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”
—Chinese proverb