About Mary Pat Haffey, MS, LPC

Mary Pat Haffey practiced therapy from 1997 until her retirement in 2015. In addition to her professional training and clinical experience, she has had many life experiences that embellish her work as a therapist. The following are just a few.
Her work with children is informed by her experience as an older sibling in a large family, a daycare provider and a teacher. Also, being the mother of four children and a grandmother is invaluable in helping her understand the joys and challenge of parenting.
Before becoming a therapist, Mary Pat was an English teacher. She has found that literature is an excellent foundation for therapy because everyone’s life is a story with its own setting, characters, plot line, crisis, themes, and metaphors. She enjoys helping clients gain a new perspective on their life story and claim an increased sense of authorship about how it will continue.
In addition, as a Red Cross volunteer responding to fires, floods, and accidents, Mary Pat has a special sensitivity to people who have experienced catastrophic events.
Programs and Publications:
In her efforts to create innovative ways of working with clients, Mary Pat has developed a process to help clients create an internal sense of self-compassion, and has created programs on topics such as Loving Oneself, Honoring Feelings, Self-Advocacy, and Decision Making. Mary Pat is available for speaking engagements on these and other topics.
In addition, Mary Pat has created the program, “Anger Management: A Path to Personal Empowerment,” which is designed to help not only people with an aggressive response to anger, but also those who find that anger (their own and other’s) leaves them feeling disempowered, resentful and confused. She presents this program with groups, families and individuals.
Another area of special interest to Mary Pat is dream work. She has been involved in dream work groups since 1997 and has developed a series of Dream Workshops, each presenting a different technique to help people explore how dreams can provide insights into waking life. In addition to scheduled workshops, Mary Pat will form a group (4-6 members) by request.
Mary Pat’s article, “Spiritual Principles and Partner Emotional Abuse,” published in the Georgia Journal of Professional Counseling explores how people experiencing emotional abuse who hope to alleviate the abusive situation by relying on the spiritual principals of forgiveness, selflessness/self-sacrifice, non-judgment, compassion, and unconditional love can unwittingly exacerbate the abuse instead. Mary Pat enjoys helping people find more beneficial ways to apply these same principles.
Education:
M.S. Professional Counseling, Georgia State University, 1997.
B.A. English/Teacher Certification, Georgia State University, 1992.
Credentials and Associations:
Her work with children is informed by her experience as an older sibling in a large family, a daycare provider and a teacher. Also, being the mother of four children and a grandmother is invaluable in helping her understand the joys and challenge of parenting.
Before becoming a therapist, Mary Pat was an English teacher. She has found that literature is an excellent foundation for therapy because everyone’s life is a story with its own setting, characters, plot line, crisis, themes, and metaphors. She enjoys helping clients gain a new perspective on their life story and claim an increased sense of authorship about how it will continue.
In addition, as a Red Cross volunteer responding to fires, floods, and accidents, Mary Pat has a special sensitivity to people who have experienced catastrophic events.
Programs and Publications:
In her efforts to create innovative ways of working with clients, Mary Pat has developed a process to help clients create an internal sense of self-compassion, and has created programs on topics such as Loving Oneself, Honoring Feelings, Self-Advocacy, and Decision Making. Mary Pat is available for speaking engagements on these and other topics.
In addition, Mary Pat has created the program, “Anger Management: A Path to Personal Empowerment,” which is designed to help not only people with an aggressive response to anger, but also those who find that anger (their own and other’s) leaves them feeling disempowered, resentful and confused. She presents this program with groups, families and individuals.
Another area of special interest to Mary Pat is dream work. She has been involved in dream work groups since 1997 and has developed a series of Dream Workshops, each presenting a different technique to help people explore how dreams can provide insights into waking life. In addition to scheduled workshops, Mary Pat will form a group (4-6 members) by request.
Mary Pat’s article, “Spiritual Principles and Partner Emotional Abuse,” published in the Georgia Journal of Professional Counseling explores how people experiencing emotional abuse who hope to alleviate the abusive situation by relying on the spiritual principals of forgiveness, selflessness/self-sacrifice, non-judgment, compassion, and unconditional love can unwittingly exacerbate the abuse instead. Mary Pat enjoys helping people find more beneficial ways to apply these same principles.
Education:
M.S. Professional Counseling, Georgia State University, 1997.
B.A. English/Teacher Certification, Georgia State University, 1992.
Credentials and Associations: