Dr. Mary Freitag
As an integrative psychologist, Dr. Mary incorporates experiential mind-body therapies, mindfulness, and neuroscience insight into her compassionate clinical work. In 2019 she developed SpiritWoods in Stillwater, MN offering experiential, research-based ecotherapy in a nature setting for individuals, couples, and groups. Whether via Telehealth or distanced in-person at her nature immersion studio, Dr. Mary’s services have evolved to meet you safely where you are.
Specific areas of expertise include anxiety management, trauma recovery, chronic illness, interpersonal effectiveness, couples communication, conflict regulation, and family relationship repair.
In addition to specializing in mindfulness-based therapies, she trains other clinicians interested in enhancing their clinical skills. Dr. Freitag teaches graduate students in the field of psychology, engages in research to further the understanding of what makes mental health treatments most effective, and collaborates with other professionals in various disciplines to help provide a whole-health approach in the treatment of patients and their families.
After receiving her doctorate in clinical psychology, Dr. Mary held positions as staff psychologist and Assistant Professor in the University of Minnesota Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, and as adjunct faculty with St. Thomas University Graduate School of Psychology. She opened Integrative Psychological Services, P.A. in 2005 as a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Supervisor in private practice. Today, she continues her private practice incorporating ecotherapy at the newly developed SpiritWoods Wellness Center.
At SpiritWoods, Dr. Mary’s therapeutic services for individuals, couples, families and groups teach daily practices that improve quality of life.
Licensure/Certifications
- Licensed by the Minnesota Board of Psychology
- Certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
- Trained in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
- Certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
- Certified in Hypnosis by the Minnesota Society of Clinical Hypnosis
Professional Associations
- American Psychological Association
- APA Division 12 for Clinical Psychology
- Minnesota Psychological Association
- Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy
- Minnesota Society of Clinical Hypnosis
Special Training: The Five Mindfulness Trainings
In August 2007, Dr. Freitag received her dharma name, Healing Tenderness of the
Heart, from Thich Nhat Hanh, after completing The Five Mindfulness Trainings.
Thich Nhat Hanh, a renowned Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet, and peace activist, was nominated by Nobel laureate Martin Luther King, Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. He was awarded the Courage of Conscience award in 1991 and has been featured in many films, including The Power of Forgiveness showcased at the Dawn Breakers International Film Festival.
Thich Nhat Hanh lived in the Plum Village Monastery in the Dordogne region in the South of France, where Dr. Freitag gave a presentation on the topic of Mindfulness and Cognitive Psychotherapy on June 4, 2011.
Known as the Father of the Mindfulness Movement, Thich Nhat Hanh was laid to rest on January 22, 2022 at the age of 95 in Huế, Vietnam.