Mare Hiles
Mare Hiles (they/she) earned a bachelor’s in women’s studies and English at the University of Georgia and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in mental health counseling at NC State University. A series of self-discoveries in adolescence and an ever-growing interest in feminism led her to seek out her place at the intersection of mental health and identity empowerment.
As the rainbow sheep from a wealthy, white suburb outside of Atlanta, Mare has grown happily accustomed to shutting up, sitting down, listening, and always learning. If they’re not reading a story, they’re either writing one or listening to someone else’s. Wearing pants for the comfort, the pockets, and for the look on the astounded mothers’ faces at Catholic high school was a formative experience in their understanding of the power of gender, sexuality, and religious skepticism. Their academic background and two decades-worth of being a theater kid has also taught them that communication is key and that everyone has a unique story.
Their primary therapeutic approach centers on an intersectional feminist perspective that includes elements of narrative and humanist therapy styles. They are looking to explore the mental health implications of social structures and systems, which mainstream understanding might label as “disorder” or “illness.” Some of her techniques of interest are using bibliotherapy (suggesting out-of-session readings), working with social identity wheels, and capitalizing on a client’s pre-existing creative capacity. Further, within Mare’s counseling space, the client is considered the expert of their own lived experiences.
Mare primarily works with older adolescents as well as adults. They are especially interested in working with queer and gender diverse populations, apostates and religious disaffiliates, those who identify as BIPOC, as well as individuals experiencing various forms of anxiety. Their curiosity with fantasy tabletop roleplay games has also led them to explore the growing discipline of Dungeons and Dragons therapy, a method that has been effective for those experiencing social anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, in addition to neurodivergent folks.
