- Direct listening
- Goal focused
- Practical steps
About Marilyn
Marilyn Balke-Lowry is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 40 years of experience who helps people facing stress, anxiety, relationship trouble, trauma, and low self-esteem. She works with adults and teens and aims to make first steps toward therapy feel manageable. Her style is straightforward and accepting, with an emphasis on listening and gentle encouragement.
She creates a space where people can talk about hard feelings without fear of judgment. Marilyn focuses on building confidence and motivation so clients can make practical changes in daily life. Conversations often center on clear goals and small steps that add up over time.
Her background includes work in schools and private practice across Texas. That mix informs a flexible approach that respects where each person is starting from. She draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques to guide sessions without promising a specific outcome.
Marilyn often helps people untangle patterns that affect relationships and self-worth. Topics she addresses include codependency, attachment concerns, communication problems, and coping with life changes like divorce or aging. She also supports those managing chronic illness or pain.
Sessions are aimed at improving day-to-day functioning, rebuilding confidence, and clarifying life purpose. Marilyn encourages clients to set realistic goals and celebrates progress along the way. To begin, people follow the site's Start Therapy steps and schedule according to availability.
Approaches that guide online work and progress
Marilyn uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques focused on practical change and clearer relationships. One approach emphasizes structured conversations that identify patterns in thoughts and behaviors and then map small, doable actions to shift them. This helps with anxiety, low mood, and everyday coping skills.Another common focus is on attachment and relationship patterns. Sessions explore how past relationships shape current expectations and reactions, and then practice new ways of communicating and setting boundaries. That work is useful for codependency, communication problems, and rebuilding trust in relationships.
Choosing the right approach is collaborative. Marilyn will listen to a person's concerns, goals, and preferences, and then recommend techniques to try together. She checks in as work proceeds and adjusts plans based on what is helpful for the client.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow check-ins during breaks or evenings. Some formats can also be shorter for quick updates, or rely less on video when bandwidth is limited. Ask about the available session types when you schedule.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
40+ years
Credentials
Texas
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Marilyn commonly address?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, and coping with life changes.
What is Marilyn's therapeutic style?
Her approach is straightforward and accepting, with an emphasis on listening, goal setting, and practical steps to improve daily life.
How long has she practiced?
She has 40 years of professional work experience in schools and private practice.
What credentials and region are associated with Marilyn?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor - LPC - practicing in Texas.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are session costs handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.