Where Healing Takes Root
Helping you navigate burnout, big emotions, and life’s transitions with clarity and confidence.
Healing is possible.
You don't have to do it alone.
Life feels heavy right now.
You’re juggling work, parenting, relationships, and expectations — all while trying to hold it together. You show up for everyone else, but inside, you’re exhausted and overwhelmed.
No one prepares you for how hard this can be.
Parenting can be a beautiful mess — full of love, but also guilt, pressure, and constant self-doubt. You may feel like parts of yourself have been lost in the process.
You’re not broken. You’re not failing. You’re human.
When a child is struggling, the whole family feels it.
You don’t have to handle this alone. Our therapists create a safe, supportive space where children and teens feel heard, understood, and valued. Through warmth, playfulness, and evidence-based care, we help them build confidence and develop tools to manage challenges.
Therapy is a place to set things down.
A space to be honest, unfiltered, and supported — so you can reconnect with yourself and find a steadier way forward, where healing can take root and growth can begin.
About us
Why Willow & Root
The name Willow & Root reflects the heart of the therapeutic process: resilience, flexibility, and grounding. The willow tree, with its graceful yet pliable branches, represents the ability to bend without breaking — to adapt while moving through life’s challenges. Roots symbolize stability, safety, and the foundation needed for healing and growth.
At Willow & Root, therapy is grounded in a trauma-informed approach that honors each client’s story with compassion and care. We believe humor can also be a powerful part of healing — a reminder that even in difficult moments, lightness and connection still matter.
About the Practice
Willow & Root Counseling, LLC is a private practice founded by Margaret Masi, LCSW. With over 20 years of direct client experience — including 10 years as a licensed therapist — Margaret brings a deep belief that change is possible, even when life feels stuck.
She believes meaningful healing happens through validation, connection, and a strong therapeutic relationship built on trust and authenticity.
Our Approach
We are committed to creating a safe, supportive space where you can show up exactly as you are. Whether you’re navigating current challenges or healing from past experiences, therapy here is a place to slow down, feel seen, and begin meaningful change.
Our therapists walk alongside clients with compassion, honesty, and evidence-based care, supporting healing and growth at a pace that feels right for you.
Supporting the Next Generation
We are also dedicated to supporting emerging therapists through thoughtful supervision, mentorship, and training. By investing in ethical, skilled, and clinically grounded professionals, we help strengthen the future of mental health care in our community.
Together, we’ll explore your story with care and help you build tools to cope, grow, and reconnect with yourself.
Mission
To provide an authentic, supportive space where connection, grounding, and healing are at the center of the work — helping individuals and families build skills that foster greater peace, resilience, and meaning in their lives and relationships.
Vision
To create a compassionate, healing space where individuals feel safe to explore their experiences, reconnect with their authentic selves, and move toward greater peace and well-being through meaningful therapeutic relationships.
Our Approach
How We Work Together
The most powerful part of therapy is the relationship we build together. Healing begins in the safety of being truly seen and accepted. We don’t sit across from you claiming to have all the answers; instead, we sit with you, offering curiosity, compassion, and reflection as we explore your inner world.
You don’t have to filter yourself here. All parts of you are welcome—even the ones you might feel unsure about or try to hide in other spaces.
Our approach is relational and client-centered, meaning our work is guided by your goals, your pace, and your lived experience. We draw primarily from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), emotional regulation strategies, and a trauma-informed lens. These approaches help you notice and shift unhelpful patterns, build resilience, and reconnect with your values, even in the midst of difficult emotions.
Who we serve
We specialize in working with:
Parents navigating stress, burnout, and the shifting landscape of identity.
Individuals facing perinatal challenges, including infertility, pregnancy loss, postpartum depression and anxiety, and the complex transition into parenthood.
Survivors of trauma, including betrayal, childhood wounds, and the aftermath of painful relationships.
Children and teens struggling with big emotions, self-esteem, family changes, or academic pressure.
Anyone seeking deeper peace, clarity, and a stronger connection with themselves and others.
Individuals interested in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), offering support alongside referrals to trusted medical providers for administration.
You don’t need to have it all figured out to begin. You just need a space to be honest, and support that truly meets you where you are.
Specialized Care for Moms, Firefighters, and Counseling for Major Life Transitions
Focused support for Moms in the perinatal year, Firefighters and first responders, and individuals navigating life transitions.
From conception through baby’s first year: anxiety, birth trauma, loss, and the emotional whiplash of new motherhood.
Motherhood is not supposed to feel this overwhelming all the time. From the moment you start trying to conceive through your baby’s first birthday, so much can change so fast that your mind and body barely have time to catch up.
Perinatal counseling at Willow and Root offers a calm, steady space to sort through the fear, grief, joy, and exhaustion of this season so you do not have to carry it alone.
What you might be going through
You may notice yourself thinking things like:
“I should be happier than this. What is wrong with me?”
“I can’t stop worrying that something bad will happen to my baby.”
“My birth didn’t go the way I hoped, and I can’t stop replaying it.”
“Everyone else seems to handle this; why is it so hard for me?”
Our approach with moms
This work is personal. You deserve a therapist who understands the perinatal window and the many ways it can be complicated.
In our work together, you can expect:
Specialized training and experience in perinatal mental health, perinatal loss, infertility, and birth trauma
A trauma‑informed, attachment‑aware approach that moves at your pace
A non‑judgmental space where crying, laughing, venting, and grieving are all welcome
Gentle structure so sessions feel focused and supportive, not like one more thing you have to manage
You are the expert on your baby and your body. Therapy adds another person to your corner, helping you make sense of what you are feeling and decide what you want next.
If any of this sounds familiar, you do not have to wait until things get “bad enough” to ask for support.
Schedule a free consultation to see whether perinatal counseling at Willow and Root Counseling feels like a good fit. This is simply a conversation where you can share a bit about what is going on and ask any questions you have about the process.
During the perinatal period (conception through baby’s first year), it is common to experience:
Anxiety or panic during pregnancy or after birth
Postpartum depression, irritability, or rage
Intrusive thoughts that feel scary or shameful
Grief after miscarriage, stillbirth, or infertility
Distress after birth complications, NICU stays, or medical trauma
Strain in your relationship as you both adjust to a new reality
Nothing about these experiences makes you a “bad mom.” They are human responses to a huge life transition and, often, to real losses and traumas.
How therapy can help
Therapy can give you space to:
Put words to what you are feeling without being judged or rushed
Understand the difference between intrusive thoughts and actual risk
Process losses, medical traumas, and birth stories in a safe, contained way
Learn practical tools to reduce anxiety, rumination, and overwhelm
Rebuild trust in your body and your instincts
Strengthen communication with your partner and support system
The goal is not to become a “perfect” mother. The goal is to help you feel more grounded, more connected to yourself, and more able to meet this season as it actually is.
You see things most people never have to see. You are trained to keep moving, finish the call, and be ready for the next one — but the impact of that does not disappear when you go home.
Counseling for firefighters and first responders at Willow and Root Counseling offers a confidential, practical space to lay down some of what you carry and learn ways to keep going without burning out.
What might be showing up
Over time, the job can start to follow you into every part of your life. You might notice:
Calls or images that replay when you close your eyes or try to sleep
Feeling numb, detached, or “shut down” with the people you care about
Snapping at your partner or kids over small things
Relying on alcohol or other habits to quiet your mind after shift
Difficulty turning off the constant sense of alertness, even off duty
Guilt or second‑guessing about what happened on specific calls
You may also feel torn between pride in what you do and the toll it is taking on your body, sleep, and relationships. Reaching out for help can feel like breaking an unwritten rule of the culture.
You are not weak for being affected. You are human in a job that asks superhuman things of you.
My approach with firefighters
Your time and trust are valuable. The work needs to be respectful, straightforward, and grounded in what matters to you.
In sessions, you can expect:
A direct, practical style with room for dark humor when it fits
A focus on safety, confidentiality, and consent — you decide what to share and when
Evidence‑informed approaches for trauma, stress, and moral injury
Flexibility around shift work, as scheduling allows
You do not have to tell every detail for therapy to help. Together, we will find a pace and level of depth that feels manageable and useful.
If the job is starting to feel heavier, or the people at home are noticing changes you are not sure how to explain, now is a good time to talk to someone.
Reach out to schedule a free, confidential consultation. You can ask questions about the process, share what has been going on, and decide whether this support feels right for you — no pressure, no obligation.
How therapy can help
Therapy is not about “fixing” you. It is about helping you carry this work in a way that does not cost you everything else.
In counseling, you can:
Talk with someone who understands first responder culture and the realities of the work
Process traumatic calls in a structured way so they feel less intrusive over time
Learn tools to manage hyper‑vigilance, anger, and shutdown
Work on sleep, stress, and coping strategies that actually fit shift schedules
Repair communication and connection at home
Clarify what you want your life to look like on and off duty
Many firefighters describe therapy as the one place they do not have to be “on” or protect everyone else from what they are feeling.
Life Transitions Therapy: Support Through Change
Even when change is expected or wanted, it can still feel disorienting. Becoming a parent, ending or starting a relationship, changing careers, grieving a loss, or entering a new stage of life can stir up anxiety, grief, numbness, or a sense of “Who am I now?”
Life transitions therapy at Willow and Root Counseling offers a steady place to pause, make sense of what is shifting, and find your footing again.
What you might be going through
You might notice:
Feeling stuck between your “old” life and the one you are stepping into
Doubting your decisions or constantly second‑guessing yourself
Waves of grief, anger, or relief that feel confusing or conflicting
Difficulty sleeping, concentrating, or staying present
Changes in relationships as roles and expectations shift
Life transitions can include:
Becoming a parent or expanding your family
Separation, divorce, or significant relationship changes
Career shifts, retirement, or major work stress
Identity changes, such as changes in faith, values, or life direction
Moving, loss of community, or other major life events
Grieving a death or non‑death losses (health, dreams, roles)
Feeling unmoored in these seasons is not a failure; it’s a normal response to real change.
How therapy can help
In therapy, you have space to:
Name and explore what you are feeling without needing to “have it all figured out”
Process losses, regrets, and what you are leaving behind
Clarify what matters most to you in this new chapter
Build coping skills to manage anxiety, overwhelm, and uncertainty
Recognize patterns that no longer fit and experiment with new ways of relating
The goal is not to rush you through the transition, but to help you move through it with more clarity, self‑compassion, and support.
Our approach to life transitions
At Willow and Root Counseling, our approach is:
Relational: you are not just a “problem to solve,” but a whole person in context
Trauma‑informed: we respect your nervous system and move at a pace that feels safe
Grounded in evidence‑based therapy: drawing from approaches that support emotion regulation, meaning‑making, and resilience
You bring your story, history, and hopes. We bring a steady, non‑judgmental space and tools to help you navigate what comes next.
You do not have to wait until things fall apart to ask for help.
If you are in the middle of a transition — or see one coming — reach out to schedule a consultation. Together, we can explore what you are facing and how therapy might support you in moving through this season with more steadiness and care.
Our Team
-
Margaret is an Arizona native and has been a practicing social worker in Maricopa County for more than 20 years. She began her career in community social work, spending a decade supporting families through child welfare and medical social work.
In 2015, Margaret transitioned into clinical practice and discovered her true calling as a therapist. Since then, she has specialized in treating complex trauma using EMDR and supporting mothers, first responders, and individuals who are ready to make meaningful changes in their lives.
Margaret has also served as a clinical supervisor, developing and leading a graduate internship program where she trained and mentored future therapists for five years.
In early 2025, Margaret returned to private practice reconnecting with what she values most: being in the therapy room, walking alongside clients as they heal, grow, and rediscover their sense of peace and purpose.
Outside of her work, Margaret enjoys spending time with her husband, their two teenagers, and their dog, Stella. She’s an avid reader and has been part of the same book club for over a decade something she cherishes for the connection and shared stories it brings.
-
McCoy Partner, LMSW, is an associate therapist at Willow and Root Counseling. Originally from Dover, New Hampshire, McCoy relocated to Arizona in 2015, where he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Northern Arizona University.
McCoy is dedicated to providing compassionate, client-centered care and creates a safe, supportive space for individuals, adults and children, to explore growth and healing. His approach is grounded in a humanistic and genuine connection with each client. He integrates evidence-based therapeutic interventions, including ACT, CBT, DBT, and Motivational Interviewing, to help clients understand and work through their challenges, empowering them to create the life and sense of self they desire.
The foundation of McCoy’s work centers on helping clients build a healthier relationship with themselves. He believes that the way we see the world is deeply connected to how we view ourselves internally and strives for the therapeutic relationship to serve as a model for self-compassion and authenticity.
Outside of work, McCoy enjoys hiking and spending time with his family and beloved dog, Luna. He brings warmth, empathy, and a genuine commitment to helping others to every aspect of his clinical practice.
Services & Treatments
-
Attachment-based therapy is form of therapy that applies to interventions or approaches based on attachment theory, which explains how the relationship a parent has with its child influences development.
-
Supervision services are offered by qualified practitioners who provide feedback and expertise for less experienced professionals. While each state and licensing board has its own unique requirements, professionals offering supervision play a key role in helping new practitioners advance their clinical knowledge, as well as satisfy requirements leading to licensure.
-
Family Systems therapists view problems within the family as the result not of particular members' behaviors, but of the family's group dynamic. The family is seen as a complex system having its own language, roles, rules, beliefs, needs and patterns. The therapist helps each individual member understand how their childhood family operated, their role in that system, and how that experience has shaped their role in the current family. Therapists with the MFT credential are usually trained in Family Systems therapy.
-
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an information processing therapy that helps clients cope with trauma, addictions, and phobias. During this treatment, the patient focuses on a specific thought, image, emotion, or sensation while simultaneously watching the therapist's finger or baton move in front of his or her eyes. The client is told to recognize what comes up for him/her when thinking of an image; then the client is told to let it go while doing bilateral stimulation. It's like being on a train; an emotion or a thought may come up and the client lets it pass as though they were looking out the window of the moving train.
-
Integrative therapy refers to therapy in which elements from different types of therapy may be used. Therapists 'integrate' two or more therapeutic styles (e.g. Cognitive and Family Systems) to bring about a personalized and practical approach to healing.
Integrative therapy (with a small 'i') may also refer to the process of 'integrating' the personality by taking disowned or unresolved aspects of the self and making them part of a cohesive personality whole. It reduces the use of defense mechanisms that inhibit spontaneity and allows flexibility in solving emotional problems. -
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a therapeutic approach that integrates the administration of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, with psychotherapeutic support to address various mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. In this modality, ketamine is administered in controlled, subanesthetic doses to facilitate altered states of consciousness, enabling individuals to explore and navigate through difficult emotions, thoughts, and memories under the guidance of a trained psychotherapist. This synergistic process aims to help individuals reframe and integrate their experiences, fostering enduring mental health improvements and enhanced self-awareness. It is particularly valuable for those with treatment-resistant conditions, offering rapid and lasting relief by unlocking new therapeutic pathways and enhancing the effectiveness of concurrent psychotherapeutic interventions.
-
For clients with chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and other health issues such as anxiety and depression, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or MBCT, is a two-part therapy that aims to reduce stress, manage pain, and embrace the freedom to respond to situations by choice. MCBT blends two disciplines--cognitive therapy and mindfulness. Mindfulness helps by reflecting on moments and thoughts without passing judgment. MBCT clients pay close attention to their feelings to reach an objective mindset, thus viewing and combating life's unpleasant occurrences.
-
Trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) helps people who may be experiencing post-traumatic stress after a traumatic event to return to a healthy state.
-
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an action-oriented approach that stems from traditional behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Clients learn to stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with their inner emotions and, instead, accept that these deeper feelings are appropriate responses to certain situations that should not prevent them from moving forward in their lives. With this understanding, clients begin to accept their hardships and commit to making necessary changes in their behavior, regardless of what is going on in their lives and how they feel about it.
-
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a method of therapy that works to engage the motivation of clients to change their behavior. Clients are encouraged to explore and confront their ambivalence. Therapists attempt to influence their clients to consider making changes, rather than non-directively explore themselves. Motivational Interviewing is frequently used in cases of problem drinking or mild addictions.
-
Multicultural awareness is an understanding and sensitivity of the values, experiences, and lifestyles of minority groups. Differences in race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, are all tackled by Multicultural counseling. In the counseling setting, the counselor recognizes that the client is different from the counselor and treats the client without forcing the client to be like him or her.
-
Person-centered therapy uses a non-authoritative approach that allows clients to take more of a lead in discussions so that, in the process, they will discover their own solutions. The therapist acts as a compassionate facilitator, listening without judgment and acknowledging the client's experience without moving the conversation in another direction. The therapist is there to encourage and support the client and to guide the therapeutic process without interrupting or interfering with the client's process of self-discovery.
-
Strength-based therapy is a type of positive psychotherapy and counseling that focuses more on your internal strengths and resourcefulness, and less on weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings. This focus sets up a positive mindset that helps you build on you best qualities, find your strengths, improve resilience and change worldview to one that is more positive. A positive attitude, in turn, can help your expectations of yourself and others become more reasonable.
Our Endorsements
-
![]()
"Margaret has many strengths and talents as a therapist but the quality that stands out most of all is her genuine compassion. Margaret has a very big heart and deeply cares about the clients she helps. I highly recommend her to anyone needing support."
Samantha Skinner. Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC
-
![]()
“Margaret is a born teacher, advocate, leader and listener. She embodies compassion and commitment to this profession and to everyone she works with. You will be seen and you will heal.”
Embracing Change Counseling Services, LLC. Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW, LMSW
-
![]()
“She is an amazing clinician who focused understand her clients' needs and serve them accordingly and be proactive and anticipate their concerns.”
Thuy Tran, Counselor. LPC, BC-TMH, EMDR-C
-
![]()
"Margaret is a passionate and experienced therapist. Her leadership skills and deep knowledge of the field make her an amazing counselor."
Adam Schutt. Counselor, MA, LAC
-
![]()
"I have had the privilege of working with Margaret for several years. Margaret is an amazing supervisor and therapist. Margaret is extremely knowledgable in areas such as trauma, PTSD, and women's mental health."
Ilona Alisudjana. Counselor, LPC
-
![]()
"Margaret is empathetic, down-to-earth, funny, and empowering. She helps you heal from past wounds and look toward your potential. With deep experience and care, she creates safety and connection. I trust her wholeheartedly with those I care about most."
Abigail Verdugo. Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LMSW
In-Person or Online Sessions Available
Individual Sessions $150
Private pay options available.
Please reach out with any questions.
(623)-294-7049
Payment Methods
Health Savings Account
American Express
Mastercard
Venmo
Visa
Zelle
Insurance
Aetna
BlueCross and BlueShield
Optum
UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH
Cigna
Virtual/Online Therapy Session Availability:
Mon-Fri, 9am-6 pm
In-Person Availability:
Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays.
Contact us !
Don't be shy! Here are some tips:
1. Tell us what brings you here. (a general overview is perfect)
2. What are you looking for? (i.e. an initial consult, fees, or availability, etc.)
3. How would you liked to be reached? (phone, text or email)