Sally  Mayo
Vetted

Sally Mayo

She/Her/Hers

Psychologist, PhD Specialties Insurance & Fees Locations
Rhode Island Accepting Online

New patients welcome March 2024!

Updated March 20, 2024

Specialties & Expertise

  • Anxiety
  • Eating Disorder
  • Depression
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Family Issues
  • Parenting
  • Insomnia
  • Relationship Difficulties
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Existential Challenges
  • Self-harm
  • Trauma

Professional statement

Dr. Sally Mayo is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of male and female individuals with eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. She received her PhD from Union Institute & University and her BA from the University of Utah. Dr. Mayo also has an MFA in Modern Dance and MEd in Educational Psychology, Boston College.

Dr. Mayo’s approach to psychotherapy is an integrated, theoretical and practical model that accommodates the goals of the patient, individual difference, and readiness for change. Therapy is a co-creative process that honors the mind/body as a unified container for psychological, emotional, and physical life. Thoughts, feelings, and body sensations are understood as expressions of the psyche with multiple modes or ways of making themselves known, for example, talking, crying, writing, moving, drawing, playing, and meditating. Therefore, it can be useful and effective, although not always necessary, to use action-oriented techniques in service to the process of change. And often, just talking is good enough.


Message to clients

A good therapist understands that a patient needs to feel like the therapist is a good fit personally, above and beyond the therapist's particular areas of expertise. In addition, because first-time appointments can be anxiety-provoking, you are encouraged to take a deep breath, relax, and only disclose as much as you are comfortable with.
A message for students: The stress of college academics and social activities can understandably magnify pre-existing problems. This is normal. Getting arranged with a therapist early in the year or as soon as possible is usually the best preventive. If and when a crisis occurs, you are positioned for faster and maximally effective treatment.


Specialties

Anxiety - Generalized and on-going worries, sudden panic with frightening body sensations, social anxiety are treatable

Eating Disorder - Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating; As a complexity of causes and manifestations, there are ways to be cured and the best way overall is early and experienced professional help

Depression - Problems with lack of motivation, inability to concentrate, feeling like sleeping a lot, social inhibition or isolation, lack of pleasure in activities, low libido are warning signs

Bipolar Disorder - Mood stability can be optimized with attention to contextual triggers and de-construction of problematic events and situations – a cognitive behavioral model using coping and preventive strategies are useful

Family Issues - Family of origin as a system of learning and development is a key to understanding oneself

Parenting - Since there is no explicit training to be a parent, it can be very difficult at times; Support and guidance can be crucial.

Insomnia - Techniques for falling asleep and hopefully staying asleep can be learned if behavioral methods and suggestions are applied

Relationship Difficulties - It helps to discover underlying assumptions that impact clarity of communication and emotional meaning

Sexual Abuse - Abuse of any kind is never okay. Forced intimacy is particularly disturbing because it is violence, and can take away freedom and self- agency

Existential Challenges - Finding a way to make sense of life (and make life fulfilling within the boundaries of life’s circumstances); adjust to college, post-graduation career transitions, and new relationships

Self-harm - As an expression of distress, self-harm can be treated

Trauma - Different types of traumatic experience can impair ability to function, and better functioning is a must




Clientele

  • Adults (24+)
  • Couples
  • Families
  • Parents
  • Seniors (65+)
  • Young adults (18-24)

Insurance

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield

Out-of-pocket fees

  • Individual sessions: $200 (45min)
  • Initial session: $200 (45min)

Additional session information

Therapist's note

Brown University students can use their out-of-network benefits to see Dr. Mayo.


Location(s)

Online Sessions (Rhode Island)
Accepting new clients online
Currently Available Times
  • Morning (Before 10am)
  • Daytime (10am - 1pm)
  • Afternoon (1pm - 5pm)
  • Evening (After 5pm)
  • Weekends
Regular Hours
  • Mon Closed
  • Tue 9-5
  • Wed 9-5
  • Thu 9-5
  • Fri Please inquire about hours
  • Sat Closed
  • Sun Closed

Work and Education

Private practice, 2006 - Present
Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Psychotherapy Supervisor for Psychiatric Fellows doing psychotherapy, 2007 - 2013
Cambridge Eating Disorder Center, Post-Doctoral Fellowship Intensive Outpatient Clinician, 2005 - 2007
Newport County Community Mental Health Center, Doctoral Internship in Children's Intensive Services, 2000 - 2001

Union Institute & University, PhD, 2005
University of Utah, MFA, Modern Dance, 1979
Boston College, MEd Psychology, 1977
University of Utah, BA, English, 1972


Licensure

Rhode Island: PS00968

New Mexico: PSY1082


Languages

English


Client testimonials

"I was experiencing disordered eating as well as depression and anxiety. A lot of things were going on in my life, including continuing to involve myself in unhealthy relationships which just made me feel worse and exacerbated all my other symptoms. Dr. Mayo is great. She is a great listener and an uncanny talent in helping me identify the core of my problems. She distills the key parts from my speaking and helps me to identify what I am feeling at the time, as well as helping me to identify the true cause of my depression and anxiety."
- Female professional • June 2016
"At 48 years old, I decided I needed a better understanding of myself and myself in a relationship context. Dr. Mayo listens. Dr. Mayo listens carefully. She doesn’t give answers. Instead, she teaches you how to learn."
- Attorney • June 2016
"I was struggling with anxiety and family issues stemming from my grown daughter’s substance-abuse. Dr. Mayo initially helped me cope with the immediate situation and provided tools for me to handle future encounters. She adapted to my needs at every session by listening, aiding in breathing and relaxing techniques, and offering sample dialogues."
- 65-year-old, actor, mother/grandmother • June 2016
"Sally Mayo is very adaptable to your own needs and is willing to change her methodology to what works best for you. I’ve found that she’s great at deeper psychoanalysis and offering higher level academic explanations of processes. That works well for me, and hopefully for other people too. She’s also very open to learning."
- Brown University student • June 2015