A white, female presenting person with light skin and long dark wavy hair and glasses sits casually on a white wicker chair outside with a brick wall behind her. She is smiling and is wearing a light purple shirt and has rainbow colored Pride nails.

Hello!

I’m Mariah Lord, LMFT

I’m so glad you found me here at Evoke.

When I set out to start my own practice, I wanted to be intentional about creating a space for people to show up in their wholeness. We are so often restrained in life by social niceties — surface level small talk, forced “professionalism,” pressures to minimize the reality of our pain. Even within the field of psychology, there are applications of therapy and funded research that seem to promote ideas of toxic positivity and problematic “bootstraps” mentality.

But in my eyes, therapy shouldn’t be yet another place where you feel you have to put on a mask or internalize shaming messages that somehow you just aren’t trying hard enough to feel better…

So I show up as a real person in my sessions with clients. I believe authenticity is the most important tool I can bring into the session. Especially since it is an unspoken expectation that the client is supposed to show up fully and vulnerably. How are my client’s supposed to do that if I am not being a real human being in return? And you won’t see me assigning therapy “homework.” Because I know all too well how even the concept of homework can be rooted in shame and relational trauma. And because I trust that the work that we do together has a way of establishing itself in organic ways into your life. When the work is connected to your values and uncovering your inner strengths, it simply feels better to engage with your life in these new and meaningful ways that we talk about in therapy. Not because someone else is telling you to do so.

With the right therapeutic fit between therapist and client, therapy can bring about the rawness and the realness in us. It is one of the few dedicated settings that we have for just being. Being in our unfiltered emotions. Verbalizing our unspoken fears, hopes, dreams, and desires. In my practice I strive to create an environment for you to do so, free of judgment.

Evoke (verb): to bring or recall to the conscious mind…

My hope for you at the end of each of our therapy sessions together is that our conversation stirred something up in you. Maybe it’s a memory, maybe it’s a new insight into an emotional experience, or part of yourself that hasn’t been given space before. I hope that our conversation elicits something in you. This is where meaningful change in life happens. In order to create movement towards our vision for our lives, we have to get to know ourselves in an honest way. We have to understand our patterns of behavior, our vulnerabilities, the stories we tell ourselves about our lived experiences, and the wisdom that our emotions and somatic experiences hold within them. Then we can evolve. Whatever our sessions evoke in you, whether it be a warm memory, an uncomfortable emotional experience, a deep appreciation for what brings you meaning in your life, or any other experience that we may shake up, I believe it is all needed and necessary for your healing experience. Reach out today and see what our sessions may evoke in you!

Schedule With Me!

How I Practice

  • "To build authentic connections, provide meaningful and individualized care, and uphold the framework of liberation."

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    The field of psychotherapy has historically and continually served to uphold systems of power and oppression. These unjust systems often create the conditions for mental and emotional distress.

    "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."

    - J. Krishnamurti

    This is why one of Evoke's guiding values is to decolonize the experience of therapy. I strongly believe that the personal is political; therefore, therapy is inherently political. Therapy is a space where you should be able to show up fully, without fear of broaching topics that are taboo in other environments. I strive to create a non judgmental space to explore how your identities shape you.

  • There is no such thing as a "one size fits all" therapy. I strive to tailor my approach to fit the unique needs and preferences of each client I work with. My practice is integrative in nature, drawing from:

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

    • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

    • Existential Therapy

    • Anchored Relational Therapy (Formerly known as AIR Network)

    • Narrative Therapy

    • Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

    In our work together, I hope to support you in developing insight into your internal strengths and resources in order to nurture fulfillment and connectedness in your life.

  • I am deeply committed to supporting clients in finding authenticity, purpose, and radical hope amidst the complexities of our modern world. My approach is grounded in feminist and antiracist values, which shape how I work with individuals to identify and enact meaningful changes in their lives. Over the past eight years, I have embraced diverse roles within the mental health field, all of which have enriched my ability to guide clients toward a more authentic and empowered existence.

    I thrive on working with clients at the cusp of transformative change and life transitions. It is profoundly rewarding to help individuals discover or reconnect with their core values, empowering them to become active participants in their own lives. My practice is centered on facilitating meaning-making and existential reflection, delving into the often-unspoken and overlooked aspects of our experiences.

    By providing a space where clients can explore these deeper, sometimes challenging themes, I aim to foster an environment of growth and self-discovery. I am dedicated to supporting you in navigating your unique journey, helping you to embrace your true self and engage with your life in a more intentional and fulfilling way.