About Me: I am a registered psychology associate with more than 30 years of experience working with individuals dealing with a medical condition and the impact it brings on their lives. I help them as they try to adjust to their new reality, manage their acute or chronic pain, cope with the anxiety and depression that often ensues as they struggle with their medical challenges, and sometimes the loss they experience because of these. I also work with caregivers who suffer alongside their loved ones; they also have their struggles, often mixed with guilt because caregivers somehow think that they must be strong and should not allow themselves to be “weak”. I work to provide a safe space where they can express their sadness, frustrations, anger, and fears.

However, my practice is not limited to working with individuals with medical challenges. I also offer my services to those who are struggling with the daily grind. We live in a busy world, with all its difficult circumstances. If you need just a little push, or an ounce of encouragement, or a ton of compassion, I can be here for you.

In my work as a therapist, I lean on evidenced-based therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Brief-Solution Focused Therapy, and mindfulness-based therapy. My aim is to help individuals thrive despite their circumstances by supporting them as they work through barriers and tap into their resilience to create a purposeful life. I believe that psychotherapy can be efficient (6-8 sessions), but I will work with you for as long as necessary to achieve the goals you set for yourself. Together we will work to find a path forward that you will cherish. I can be reached directly at maryanne@nchpsych.com.

Education & Training

Master of Arts (Psychology): Catholic University of America

Bachelor of Science (Psychology): University of the Philippines

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

Siegel, A., Lockridge, R., Struemph, K., Toledo-Tamula, M. A., Little, P., Wolters, P., Dufek, A., Tibery, C., Baker, M., Wideman, B., & Martin, S. (2024). Perceived transition readiness among adolescents and young adults with neurofibromatosis type 1 and plexiform neurofibromas: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsae006

Carlson, E., Al Ghriwati, N., Wolters, P., Toledo-Tamula, M. A., Tisdale, J., Fitzhugh, C., Hsieh, M., & Martin, S. (2023). Longitudinal neurocognitive effects of nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant among older adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease: A description and comparison with sibling donors. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09602011.2023.2238948

Allen, T., Struemph, K., Toledo-Tamula, M. A., Reda, S., Baker, M., Wolters, P., Baldwin, A., Widemann, B., & Martin, S. (2023). Monitoring change in heart rate variability following acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain: Results of a randomized controlled trial for individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2023.06.007

Rhodes, A., Martin, S., Toledo-Tamula, M. A., Loucas, C., Glod, J., Warren, K., & Wolters, P. (2022). The neuropsychological profile of children with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) before and after radiation therapy: A prospective longitudinal study. Child Neuropsychology, 29. https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2022.2144189

Martin, S., Allen, T., Toledo-Tamula, M. A., Struemph, K., Reda, S., Wolters, P., Baldwin, A., Quinn, M., & Widemann, B. (2021). Acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescents and adults with neurofibromatosis Type 1, plexiform neurofibromas, and chronic pain: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2021.10.003

Walsh, K., Wolters, P., Widemann, B., Castillo, A., Sady, M., Inker, T., Roderick, M., Martin, S., Toledo-Tamula, M. A., Struemph, K., Paltin, I., Collier, V., Mullin, K., Fisher, M., & Packer, R. (2020). Impact of MEK inhibitor therapy on neurocognition in neurofibromatosis type 1. Preprint. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.18.20248334