my approach to therapy

MALLORY KEEKS, LPC, ATR

I’m so grateful you’re here! My name is Mallory (she/her) and I am an art therapist, counselor, and full-time human. I believe we can find healing and become our authentic selves through being seen and heard by others. It is my goal to partner with you, to imagine, be curious, and wade through the uncertainty together. I believe that you are the expert of your experience, and therefore that therapy should be a collaborative and authentic process every step of the way.

I’m passionate about supporting clients through recovery from disordered eating and helping clients reconnect and find peace with their bodies. I have specialized experience working with eating disorders from harm-reduction and body-liberation focused lenses, as well as the intersection of food concerns and neurodivergence, trauma, and chronic illness. I also have specialized experience in working with LGBTQIA+ folks and their loved ones, and care deeply about supporting clients’ access to gender affirming care.

The way I practice is integrative and flexible. I incorporate multiple modalities and frameworks into my practice to best support each person depending on their needs and goals. In sessions, I utilize both art therapy and talk therapy, as well as other reflective tools like tarot & oracle cards, to offer a variety of ways to process and explore (you can learn more about what art therapy is like here). My style is very conversational, laid back, non-pathologizing, and relational. My goals are to create an affirming and comfortable environment for us to explore things at your pace, and to help you uncover tools to navigate life’s challenges and triumphs. Laughter can be great medicine, and I love incorporating humor and playfulness in sessions when appropriate.

It is important to me that you feel safe and seen in our work together. I am liberation-focused, fat positive/HAES-aligned, LGBTQIA2S+ affirming, trauma-informed, sex positive, neurodiversity affirming, disability justice informed, and spiritually & culturally responsive. It is brave and generous when you share your authentic stories and experiences in therapy, and I aim to hold that with the gravity it deserves. I regularly offer opportunities for clients to provide me feedback and always welcome open discussions about what you need in order to feel supported.

I look forward to meeting you and would be honored to be a part of your story!

frameworks & modalities

  • offers a creative and safe way to process, explore, and move towards healing

  • promotes healthcare as a human right for all bodies without exception, acknowledges anti-fat bias and its impact on wellbeing, and honors bodily autonomy. Supports harm reduction in a weight biased world.

  • highlights the importance of relationships and social identities to healing and growth

  • recognizes the connections between individual experiences and larger systems of oppression, and emphasizes understanding the social context of experiences

  • focuses on the importance of the stories you hold and how you give meaning to them, and prioritizes you as the expert of your life

  • examines internal conflicts by holding space for the different “parts” of ourselves, and helps expand self-compassion, deepen understanding, and provide clarity

  • focuses on moving towards your values, seeing your thoughts and feelings without judgement, and holds the possibility that everyone can live a meaningful life even with difficulty and discomfort

areas of focus

  • eating disorders and food challenges, including chronic dieting & restriction, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, food anxiety, and ARFID

  • body image concerns, body acceptance, and body liberation

  • queer and gender diverse identity, including: identity exploration, gender affirming procedure letters, those out later in life, and navigating a child or partner’s transition

  • helping professionals, therapists, and medical professionals

  • religious trauma, ex-vangelicals, dismantling purity culture, and those wanting to deconstruct & rebuild spirituality on their own terms

  • highly sensitive people (HSPs) and deep feelers

  • attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including late diagnosis and partners of those with ADHD

  • relationships and attachment

  • sociopolitical and climate anxiety

  • childfree and childless

  • self-compassion and shame resilience

  • life transitions and personal growth

what is art therapy like, anyway?

Art therapy is about imagination and creativity; it is a way to explore new or different perspectives or possibilities. How often this translates into actual art making is totally up to you, every single session. Sometimes this means that we won’t use art making at all, but we may discuss symbolism, use reflective imagery (like tarot & oracle cards), or talk in metaphor.

Making art in session can look like a lot of things: an ongoing project that we work on over time, just keeping your hands busy, exploring/processing something specific using a prompt or “directive”, or going with the flow and seeing what happens! How much we talk during art making is also your decision. And don’t worry about getting special materials - we can always work with whatever you already have. However, if you’re interested in obtaining more materials, I’m happy to talk about that as well.

Art making skills are not at all necessary to participate in or benefit from art therapy. The beauty of art therapy is that it can be for anyone. If you are nervous or anxious about making art, or concerned you’re not “good enough” at it, that is totally normal - and something we can work through together, if you’d like.

And art making is never a requirement to work together. If you have any questions about art therapy, please let me know!

a little more about me…

  • When I’m not working, I love spending time with my pets (two dogs: Frida & Simone, and two cats: Soba & Udon), my partner, my family, and my friends.

  • I enjoy gardening & taking care of my houseplants, trying new cuisines, swimming, and watching documentaries & reality TV.

  • I originally grew up in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area, and moved to Austin in 2018 after completing my master’s in Art Therapy & Counseling at Drexel University.

  • I have lived a couple “career lives”: my bachelor’s degree is in Business Administration, and my first career was as a professional tattoo artist. I have also done freelance fine art, graphic design, & UX/UI design for over 12 years. In true Gemini fashion, I love doing All The Things™ and am a lifelong learner.

  • I love hot beverages, and you’ll often catch me in sessions with a mug of tea or coffee.

CREDENTIALS

Texas Licensed Professional Counselor #81143
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ATCB Registered Art Therapist #18-535
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SIGNS

☉ Gemini Sun
☾ Scorpio Moon
↑ Virgo Rising