Marcia Tharp, LICSW, LCSW | Therapist in Montana

Client-centered approach
Practical coping tools
Collaborative pacing

About Marcia

Marcia Tharp is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Montana. She holds LICSW and LCSW credentials and brings 18 years of experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, and life transitions. Marcia frames therapy as a shared process and aims to meet each person where they are.

Her style is approachable and down-to-earth. She listens first, then helps people notice options and make practical changes. Sessions focus on clear steps a person can try between meetings, along with slower work on patterns that cause pain.

Marcia blends several methods to fit each person's needs. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thinking, Mindfulness to build present-moment awareness, and Narrative Therapy to reframe difficult stories. She also draws on relaxation and motivational strategies when helpful.

She has experience across many concerns including parenting stress, sleep problems, ADHD, codependency, relationship challenges, chronic illness, and compassion fatigue. Marcia supports people coping with grief, depression, bipolar mood concerns, and trauma-related symptoms.

Clients can expect a respectful, nonjudgmental space to talk through difficult feelings and practical struggles. Marcia encourages small experiments and steady progress rather than quick fixes. She recognizes that starting therapy is a big step and aims to make the path forward clear and manageable.

How her approaches fit into online therapy

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to each person's concerns. It emphasizes empathy and collaboration, helping people clarify goals and feel understood. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thought and behavior and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful habits and reduce distress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, includes skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and tolerating distress when life feels overwhelming.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, symptoms, and daily life, then suggest methods to try. Decisions about pacing and techniques are made collaboratively and can shift as needs change.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten travel time, and allow for more consistent check-ins. Different approaches lend themselves to different rhythms - CBT often uses homework and brief skill practice, while Client-Centered work may move at a slower conversational pace. The therapist aims to help integrate therapy into everyday life so changes can be practiced between meetings.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Depression Coping with life changes

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issues Blended family issues Caregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependency Communication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separation Domestic violence Family of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgiveness Guilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

18+ years

Credentials

Montana, Washington

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Marcia work with?

She helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, trauma and abuse, depression, parenting and sleep difficulties, relationship and family issues, ADHD, codependency, chronic illness, and related challenges.

What is her general therapy style?

Her approach is warm and client-centered. She listens first, then uses practical strategies and reflective conversation to uncover options and next steps.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has 18 years of professional experience working in multiple settings with a range of concerns and ages.

Where is she based and what credentials does she hold?

She practices in Montana and holds LICSW and LCSW credentials as listed.

Can I work with her in a language other than English?

Sessions are offered in English.

Does she take clients from other countries?

She is not currently accepting international clients.

How are session costs handled?

Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

What do I do to begin working with her?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.