About Dr. Mary
30+ Years of Making the Complex Actually Make Sense
I spent more than three decades as a licensed clinical psychologist working with aging adults and the people who love and care for them. Over those years, I learned something that no textbook teaches: people don’t need more information, they need someone who can translate the complicated stuff — the psychology, the biology, the grief, the reinvention, navigating the system — into language they can actually use.
That’s my superpower. Whether I’m unpacking the social burdens of ageism, guiding you through a major life transition, or leading a workshop on what it really means to “age well,” I have the rare gift for meeting you exactly where you are — and helping you decide which next step you want to take with confidence.
Practical wisdom delivered with warmth — and, yes, a healthy dose of humor.
I Haven’t Just Studied Aging. I’m Living It!
I was winding down my practice and planning a bucket-list trip to Australia and New Zealand. I had just had both hips replaced, and was finally getting back into shape after years of managing the chronic pain and fatigue that comes from trying to get around with bone on bone.
That was March, 2020. I was enjoying my adventure half-way around the world when I was told I needed to go back the U.S. because of COVID. I came down with a mild case and didn’t think much of it. Except that I never quite got my energy back, and my brain was not functioning like it used to. It took several years, but I was finally diagnosed with long-COVID.
That experience — of being the patient instead of the provider, of sitting with uncertainty and having to find my own way through it — deepened everything I bring to my work. I admit to being humbled by having to try and follow advice I had been handing out for years.
I’m still navigating my long-COVID — and that changes everything about how I show up for you. It has taught me many lessons— the value of being selective about what I do and how much I do— finding time every day to just sit still, or take a nap, or look out at nature— being intentional about what I spend effort and time on.
What I Bring to the Conversation
Here’s where I would normally list all my accomplishments, but honestly, you can just Google me. I’ve written over 300 blogs on aging, authored the Aging with Finesse series, and advocated for older adults in the California Senior Legislature — all of which you’re welcome to explore. My greatest asset is that I listen . . . really listen to what you have to say. Then I pull together what my lifetime of learning about aging from extraordinary mentors has taught me and work with you to find something that fits your needs.
No matter who is on the other side of the conversation with me, I offer compassionate honesty, real tools, and an experienced ally who will help you create your own pathway forward as all of us navigate aging in the 21st century.
