Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Duran, LCSW, LCDC.
Hi Mary, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up as the youngest in my family and had a very close relationship with my mom, who entered long-term recovery from alcohol and drug addiction when I was an infant. As the kiddo who was glued to my mom’s side, this led to me frequenting Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings with her. I typically say I was “raised in the rooms of AA.” This early life exposure really shaped my curiosity about people’s lived experiences and their personal journeys with recovery.
Later during my high school years my older brother, who was just 18 months older than me, began struggling with his own personal addiction. Given our age gap we were very close and again with the early expose to AA I think I was able to pick up the signs pretty quickly. Having these experiences with my immediate family members gave me an up close and unique lens into the challenges families face and deepened my interest in mental health and substance use.
When I entered college, I initially thought I wanted to pursue law, but quickly realized psychology was where I felt at home. After completing my bachelor’s I took a year off from school, balancing multiple jobs while applying to graduate programs, and ultimately chose to pursue a master’s in clinical social work. Through my practicum experiences, I was able to further focus on dual diagnosis treatment (meaning those diagnosed with both a substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental health diagnosis). Now in my private practice, I have the privilege of working with many different people experiencing a variety of challenges, including problems with alcohol and/or other substances, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, emotional dysregulation, or relationship problems.
Today I feel fortunate to do work I truly love, supporting people through some of their darkest moments, helping them build skills to manage, and celebrating the victories along the way. Seeing hope and healing take root is what makes this work so meaningful to me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not quite – The road to get here has definitely had its challenges, and I’m incredibly grateful to be where I am today. As I mentioned earlier, high school was a difficult time as my brother struggled with his personal addiction and had a few stints in treatment. In my senior year, I lost a cousin who was like a sibling to me, which was a really significant loss for our family. Then, during my first year of college, I suffered a significant concussion that required me to take a semester of medical leave.
Not long after returning, my mother was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, which deeply affected our family. We as a family faced financial hardships, so I worked throughout college while taking on student loans to stay afloat. Last significant challenge I will share, just a few months after earning my Master’s degree, my brother passed away unexpectedly from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident, which naturally caused a ripple in our family and I had to go through my own personal journey with grief while navigating early career stress.
On top of those personal challenges, I was the first in my immediate family to graduate from college and later pursue a Master’s degree. That meant figuring out how to apply to schools, navigate financial aid, and manage the realities of being a student largely on my own, although my parents were encouraging and supportive all along the way, all while balancing work and school responsibilities.
Through it all, these experiences shaped my resilience and deepened my empathy, which have become central to who I am as a person and as a therapist.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Healing Lane Therapy is a boutique psychotherapy practice for individuals and families seeking high-quality, personalized care. I work with teens (14+), young adults, adults, and families, with a focus on complex mental health concerns, problems with alcohol or other substances, depression, anxiety, and personality disorders.
What sets Healing Lane Therapy apart is the intentionality behind everything I do. I maintain a smaller caseload so that I can provide the level of presence, care, and follow-through my clients deserve. My approach is relational and direct and I value being able to offer honest feedback, gently challenge clients when needed, and I prioritize building authentic, lasting connections that support deep, meaningful change.
What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is that I’ve been able to build something truly authentic. Healing Lane Therapy has grown through integrity, collaboration, and genuine relationships both with clients and with other professionals in the community. I think that authenticity and commitment to quality are what people feel when they connect with my practice.
More than anything, I want readers to know that I am deeply passionate about this work. Building Healing Lane Therapy has taken years of dedication, learning, and persistence, and I’m incredibly proud of what it’s become, a practice grounded in compassion, honesty, and real human connection.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I could give so many people credit for supporting me throughout the years, I am so fortunate to have an amazing support system, including my spouse, my parents, my closest friends, professors, and my colleagues whom I am lucky enough to call friends at this point. Through any of my own personal doubts or anxieties, I have had the benefit of leaning on my support system to push me through and encourage me to work through my anxiety and keep going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://healinglanetherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healinglanetherapy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Healing-Lane-Therapy-61573994366853/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryfsecrest/
Image Credits
Headshots and office photos by Brittney Ellaway with Ellaway House Photography
