Marcia Tharp, LICSW, LCSW
Practical, narrative-informed support for life's challenges
Details
| Name | Marcia Tharp |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LICSW, LCSW |
| Based in | Montana |
| Licensed in | Montana, Washington |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 18 |
About Marcia
Marcia Tharp is a licensed clinical social worker with LICSW and LCSW credentials and 18 years of experience. She practices in Montana and draws on a mix of approaches to meet people where they are. She aims to walk alongside parents and individuals as they sort through hard moments and find new options for living.
Marcia believes answers often live inside each person and that therapy is a way to notice them.
Background and approach
She uses Narrative Therapy to help people reframe stories that limit them. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, and client-centered techniques to build practical skills and calm day-to-day stress. Her work often focuses on common struggles such as anxiety, depression, grief, and coping with life changes.
She also supports people dealing with trauma and abuse, parenting strain, sleep problems, anger, and issues around self-esteem and career. Additional areas of focus include ADHD, bipolar concerns, compassion fatigue, and challenges tied to adoption, attachment, chronic illness, or caregiving stress. Sessions are offered through video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging.
That variety helps people fit therapy into busy days and choose the format that feels right for them. Marcia pays attention to what clients prefer and adjusts her style accordingly. Her approach is down-to-earth and nonjudgmental.
She helps people notice patterns, practice new reactions, and try small changes between sessions. Taking the first step can feel hard, and her aim is to make that step feel manageable and supported.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief among the things Marcia works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Traumatic brain injury
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Marcia among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Marcia among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Marcia among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Marcia among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Marcia among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Marcia among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Marcia among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Marcia directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Marcia directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
Approaches you can use in online therapy
Marcia uses Narrative Therapy to help people retell difficult personal stories so those stories feel less stuck and limiting. Narrative work often helps when life problems are tied to the meanings people give their experiences. She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavior changes to reduce symptoms like anxiety or low mood. Client-centered techniques are woven through sessions to keep the conversation grounded in each person's values and goals so clients feel heard and guiding choices feel collaborative.Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. Marcia works with clients to decide which methods fit their needs and preferences. She treats the choice as a joint decision and adapts the plan as goals evolve over time.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls let people read facial expressions and do deeper conversations. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth or camera use is a problem. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for short check-ins, skill practice, or fitting therapy into a busy day. These options make it possible to keep regular contact and try approaches like CBT exercises, narrative reflection, and mindfulness practice between sessions.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does Marcia commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, and coping with life changes, among other issues listed in her specialties.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is down-to-earth and nonjudgmental. She uses Narrative, client-centered practices, CBT, DBT elements, and mindfulness to help people notice patterns and try new responses.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 18 years of professional experience working in multiple settings and with a broad range of concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds LICSW and LCSW credentials and practices in Montana as stated in her profile.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Marcia are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Marcia where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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