Hi, I'm Dana Maurice — Attachment-based Therapist in Dallas & McKinney, TX

Having a space to slow down, feel understood, and begin healing can bring relief, clarity, and hope.

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I'm Dana Maurice, MA, LPC-Associate (supervised by Charissa Lopez, LPC-S)— a Dallas-born trauma and attachment-focused therapist serving the DFW Metroplex from offices in East Dallas and McKinney. My work centers on the kinds of pain that often go unspoken like trauma, anxiety, relationship struggles, and the quiet weight of holding everything together while feeling overwhelmed inside. Therapy isn't something I just studied; it's something I've personally walked through, and the same care I received is the care I extend to every person who meets with me.

“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.”

Brené Brown

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About My Background & Approach

My counseling approach is grounded in compassion, curiosity, and a deep respect for your unique internal experience. I practice relationally, providing evidence-based care through an attachment-based, trauma-informed, and emotionally-attuned lens, thoughtfully tailored to meet you exactly where you are.

I believe that true emotional healing is a collaborative journey, and my goal is to provide a safe, empathetic space where you can explore old patterns and build a more resilient future.

  • Education: MA Counseling, Dallas Theological Seminary (with honors) in 2022. • BA, Texas A&M University.
  • License: Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in Texas (License #91309)
  • Specialized Training: EMDR-Trained • SAFE Approach (Somatic & Attachment-Focused EMDR)
  • Focus Areas: Trauma • Anxiety • Attachment Wounds • Relationship Patterns

The Story Behind
Bentley Counseling

A practice named in honor of the woman whose unconditional love deeply shaped my life.

Bentley Counseling is a family name, chosen to honor my sweet grandma, someone who made me feel deeply loved, accepted, and celebrated. In many ways, those early experiences shaped my understanding of how healing happens within emotionally safe, supportive relationships. Today, one of the greatest privileges of my work is creating that same sense of safety, understanding, and care for the person sitting across from me.

Bentley Counseling was created out of both personal and professional experiences that shaped my understanding of healing, emotional pain, and the importance of safe connection. Even from a young age, trusted adults recognized a natural ability in me to sit with people in meaningful ways, offer emotional support, and help others feel understood. Over time, my own healing journey was life-changing, and it strengthened what already felt deeply ingrained: a calling to walk alongside others as they make sense of their stories.

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Your Story Matters

Therapy for those who feel overwhelmed, disconnected, emotionally exhausted, or lost underneath the weight of life.You may appear high-functioning on the outside while quietly carrying anxiety, self-doubt, relationship pain, or a deep sense that you’ve lost touch with yourself. Therapy can become a space to slow down, make sense of your experiences, and begin reconnecting with who you are beneath survival mode.

What Our Work Together Looks Like

Sessions are collaborative, supportive, and paced in a way that feels comfortable and manageable for you. My goal is to create a space where you feel emotionally safe, genuinely understood, and supported as we explore the experiences and patterns shaping your life, relationships, and emotional well-being. This isn't therapy that follows a rigid script — it's therapy that meets you where you are and moves at the pace your nervous system can hold.

Therapy builds over time, with each session helping you better understand yourself and the patterns shaping your life. Some sessions may focus more on what's happening in the present — a difficult conversation, a stressful week, an emotional trigger. Other sessions may go deeper, exploring the earlier experiences and relationships that quietly continue to shape how you feel today. Along the way, we'll keep checking in on your goals, your growth, and what feels most supportive to you in the process.

The first session is about creating a foundation for our work together. We'll explore what brings you in, talk through your goals for therapy, and help you get a sense of how I approach the therapeutic process and the work we may do together. There's no pressure to have it all figured out — coming in is enough.

What You Can Expect From Our Work Together

The values that shape every session

Empathy

Every story matters, and every person deserves to feel deeply understood — not judged, fixed, or rushed.

Authenticity

You don't have to perform, explain, or have it all together to walk into this space — come exactly as you are.

Grace

Healing isn't linear, and progress isn't a performance — there's room here for the messy middle.

Trust

Confidentiality, attunement, and consistency — the foundation everything else is built on.

Emotional Safety

Sessions are paced with care — never rushed, never pushed beyond what feels manageable.

Connection

Healing happens within safe relationship — not in isolation, not in clinical distance, but together.

What is Meaningful to Me

Outside of therapy, I love spending time with family and friends, exploring small Texas towns, and enjoying a really good chai latte. I’ve always loved learning about people, how they think, what shapes them, and how they experience the world around them. Caring for others has always felt deeply meaningful to me.

Clients often share that they feel deeply understood, genuinely cared for, and able to fully be themselves without judgment in our work together. Many appreciate the warmth, empathy, grace, and support I bring into sessions, and the way therapy helps them slow down, better understand themselves, and move forward with more clarity, self-compassion, and peace.

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Find Bentley Counseling Near You

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McKinney Office

6401 Eldorado Pkwy, Suite 304, McKinney, TX 75070

At the corner of Eldorado Parkway and Ridge Road in the Caddo Building, directly behind CVS. Convenient for clients across McKinney, Allen, Frisco, Prosper, Melissa, and Fairview.

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Dallas Office

12740 Hillcrest Rd, Suite 210 Dallas, TX 75230 (635/Hillcrest Rd) between the Dallas North Tollway and Highway 75, next to Watermark Church.

Easy access from Richardson, Plano, and Farmers Branch, with accessible parking and a comfortable, professional waiting area.

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Secure Virtual Therapy Across Texas

Secure, HIPAA-compliant video sessions available for anyone located anywhere in Texas — from Houston to Austin, San Antonio to El Paso. Virtual therapy offers the same depth of care as in-person sessions with the flexibility of meeting from a private, comfortable space of your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Don't let questions stop your from receiving the care you deserve!

What if I've never been to therapy before and I'm nervous?

That's more common than you might think. Many of the people I work with are first-time therapy clients, and the nervousness you're feeling is completely understandable — it makes sense to feel cautious about being vulnerable with someone new. The first session is intentionally gentle: there's no expectation that you'll have your story neatly organized or know exactly what you want to talk about. We move at the pace that feels right for you, starting with what's most present, and build trust from there.

How do I know if you're the right therapist for me?

Finding the right therapist matters. While experience and training are very important, the quality of the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of meaningful change. That's why I offer a free 15-minute consultation before scheduling a first session. It's a chance for us to briefly connect, discuss what you're hoping for, and to get an idea of what it would be like to work together.

Do I need to know what's "wrong" before I start therapy?

Not at all. Many people come to therapy with a vague sense that something isn't quite right, that they're carrying more than they should be, or that they've been holding it together for too long — without being able to put a clear name to it. Part of the work is making sense of what you've been feeling. You don't need a diagnosis, a roadmap, or a finished list of what you want to fix. You just need to show up.

Are you a faith-based therapist?

My education includes a Master of Arts in Counseling from Dallas Theological Seminary, and my approach is shaped by Christian values that include grace, empathy, and a deep respect for each person's story. That said, my practice is welcoming and supportive of clients from any background, belief system, or spiritual orientation — including those with no faith background at all. We can incorporate faith into our work if that's meaningful to you, or simply focus on the emotional and relational work itself. Your beliefs are your own, and they're always met with respect here.

Do you offer in-person and virtual sessions?

Yes — both. I see clients in person at my East Dallas and McKinney offices, and I offer secure virtual sessions for anyone located anywhere in Texas. Many clients do a mix of both depending on their week, their commute, or what feels right for the kind of work we're doing in any given session. Whichever you choose, the depth and quality of care stays the same.

 What's the next step if I want to work together?

The simplest next step is to reach out for a free 15-minute consultation. You can book through the contact form on this site, by phone, or by email. We'll talk briefly about what's bringing you in, I'll answer any questions you have, and we'll figure out together whether it feels like a good fit. From there, scheduling a first session is straightforward, and I'll walk you through what to expect before we begin.

Begin Your Healing Journey

Therapy can be a place to better understand yourself, untangle what feels complicated, and begin creating lasting change.