Mark Sikora, LICSW

Mark Sikora is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) based in Washington with four decades of experience. He focuses on helping people who feel stuck by depression, anxiety, grief, or major life changes. He listens for strengths in each person's story and supports practical steps toward living with more ease.

He works with people facing relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting strain, addictions, stress, and career pressures. He also helps when chronic illness, caregiving demands, or complicated loss make day-to-day life harder. Mark pays attention to how grieving changes over time and to the ways past attachment wounds can show up now.

His approach draws on several methods to match what the person needs. He uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clarify values and build committed action. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. Client-centered techniques create a supportive space to talk through difficult feelings.

Mark has long experience with serious mood disorders and crisis work, and he brings that background into calmer, everyday care as well. He treats each person as the expert on their life and helps them notice and use their own strengths. Starting therapy is framed as a collaborative process aimed at manageable steps.

Sessions are shaped around what an individual needs and their stated goals. People interested in working together are invited to begin with a short matching questionnaire and schedule a session that fits their timing and location.

Approaches that translate well to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice what matters to them and take small steps toward those values. It is useful for depression, anxiety, grief, and coping with long-term health challenges. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying patterns of thinking and behavior and testing changes in daily life to reduce distress and improve routines. Client-Centered Therapy gives space for people to tell their story and feel heard while they decide what changes to try.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what feels most useful. That conversation shapes whether the focus is on values and action, changing thought patterns, or simply having steady support while navigating hard times.

Confirm the specific session formats available before booking so you know how appointments are handled. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, allow a continued cadence of care during health or mobility challenges, and reduce travel time. Different approaches adapt well to remote work - for example short skills practice between sessions or structured thought records sent in advance - and these practical options can help therapy fit into everyday life.