LCSW, 10 years of experience
I am licensed in Texas and Wisconsin with over 10 years of social work, case management, and professional clinical practice and combined experience of 18 years in civil and social services. In addition, I am experienced in helping clients with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, family conflicts, & trauma and abuse. I assist my clients by creating an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & collaboratively work with you on increasing your quality of life. My ardent desire to educate those who are under-served and prone to traumatic encroachments on their basic human rights of self-advocacy, self-determination, accountability, restoration of power, and self-worth, is what drives me professionally. My group work, individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and parent coaching experience qualifies me to clinically engage, assess, and collaborate with individuals and interdisciplinary teams on goal development, treatment planning, implementation of interventions, and evaluations.
Within our first session you can expect to build a therapeutic alliance that fosters an environment of transparency, accountability, and respect where you are the expert of your lived experiences yet you are open to exploring a shift in how such experiences impacts your life going forward.
Abandonment, Adoption and Foster Care, Blended Family Issues, Control Issues, Divorce and Separation, Domestic Violence, Guilt and Shame, Infidelity, Intellectual Disability, Money and Financial Issues, Post-traumatic Stress, Self-Love, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Sexuality, Women's Issues, and Workplace Issues are all areas I specialize in. In addition, individual challenges with bullying and social acceptance of gender and/or sexual identity of adolescents and those with disabilities demand clinical competencies in healthy sexuality and self-advocacy. Therefore, I spearheaded Proud & Included, (the first project of its kind in the US) that focused on the intersection of LGBTQ and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities through self-advocacy and healthy sexuality training for Participants, inclusion training for LGBTQ+ organizations, access to resources and services, and participation in LGBTQ community events, uniquely qualifies me to clinically engage individuals in the LGBTQ community and/or those with disabilities on a therapeutic level that eliminates stigmas and fosters safety first.
Currently, I am best positioned to service adults via telehealth.
8 ratings with written reviews
July 22, 2025
This was my first meeting with Marie, and I have to say I appreciate the opportunity to meet her. She was funny, very on point with our session, and gave me so much to think about. I can't wait to continue our sessions!
June 26, 2025
I found her style for our first session to be very open and comfortable. She gets right into things and is direct but also kind & considerate. Looking forward to growing with her counsel!
June 23, 2025
Working with Marie has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. She created a space that felt safe and supportive. We've done real work together as far as building emotional tools that helped me see real progress in my mental health. She has been a cornerstone in my personal support system, and I truly don't say that lightly. Her insight, presence, and consistency have made such a powerful impact. I'm forever grateful that our paths crossed. Absolutely amazing.
Marie A Gandy offers therapy covered by UnitedHealthcare/Optum - Medicaid in Texas.
As a clinician, I utilize Carl Roger’s person-centered therapy. Rogerian theory empowers the client to be the expert in their life and story. This allows my clients to disclose, according to their comfort level, while continued rapport is being established. I utilize solution-focused therapy to collaborate with my clients on identifying problem areas, catalysts to change, and implementation of strategies to achieve such change. In addition, I am mindful of Maslow’s theory of human motivation while implementing interventions that ensure my client's safe transition through their hierarchy of needs. Lastly, I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy used to help people change thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are causing them problems. My clients engaged in various activities that focused on cognitive reframing as CBT highlights how negative thoughts can lead to negative feelings and actions but reframing such thoughts more positively encourages more positive feelings and helpful behaviors.