Today we’d like to introduce you to David Mabry.
Hi David, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey as a licensed practitioner in private practice started in Southport, NC in 2005. I had some intimidation about starting solo since at the time I was 32 and had never run a business on my own. There was so much I felt that I did not know but knew this was something I had always wanted to do since graduate school. I was offered an opportunity to start at another colleague’s office one day a week while she offered to send me referrals for children since working with children was not something she wanted to do any longer. This was in January of 2005 and by May of 2005 I had rented my own office across the street and had gone completely independent from that day forward. I continued mainly working with children and families while I remained in the Southport area. I had an office in downtown Southport from 2005 until 2009. In 2009, I moved my office to Boiling Springs which positioned me closer to the schools in that area. By 2017, I was ready to make some changes that I had wanted to make for some time which was to move my office to downtown Wilmington. Once I moved my office to Wilmington, I made a change in the population I was working with and began seeing primarily adults and adolescents. I positioned myself to begin specializing in PTSD work, work with military and their families, work with the LGBTQ+ population, anxieties, and some couples counseling. I became certified in Hypnotherapy, a certified Military Counselor, and trained in EMDR. To this day I continue to have these as my specialties, and I am now located at the Cotton Exchange Executive Suites downtown Wilmington.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been a smooth road. The biggest obstacles I would say has always been in managing my frustrations with the various insurance companies and the many changes that have ensued with all of them throughout the years.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My specializations now mostly are working with populations struggling with various traumas and symptoms of PTSD, work with LGBTQ population, anxieties, work with military and their families, hypnotherapy and some couples counseling. I am a certified hypnotherapist, certified military counselor, and I am trained in EMDR. I feel what sets me a part is that I have been doing this work for 20 years. Also, I have personal experience being coupled with a veteran and I am personally a part of the LGBTQ community as I identify as gay myself. I am proud that I have successfully ran a private practice for 20 years completely on my own without any other employees.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I have been a part of the Wilmington community since 1991. My undergraduate career brought me here to UNCW in 1991. I moved away to San Francisco from 1997-1999 to go to graduate school, but then returned late in 1999 to start my career working for agencies at the time. I have always loved Wilmington and consider it to be home. The water and the downtown area has always been a major draw for me. Even though I was only in San Francisco for 2 years, I felt it was a place that I hold dear to my heart. The only thing I wish would be different about Wilmington is that it held some of the amenities of a bigger city.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.davidmabry-lpc.com
- Facebook: Atlantic Counseling Center, David Mabry, LPC
