

Mary Claire Woster, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
"I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding." ~ John O'Donohue
Pronouns: She/Her
Claire Woster is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She is passionate about the resilience inherent to all people. She uses this passion to cultivate a healing dynamic with clients that illuminates personal strengths and fosters empowerment. Through the use of therapeutic relationship, Claire aids in exploration of needs, values, and belief systems which allows for development of the most direct healing path for each person she works with based on their unique background.
Claire views every symptom, thought, emotion, behavior, and belief as having an important message. She teaches approachable mindfulness techniques that help clients develop the ability to explore difficult areas of their lives with curiosity. This compassionate self-exploration disconnects identification with negative thought and behavior processes, fosters internally sourced self-esteem, and aids in the re-storying of narratives associated with experience.
Claire has specific training to work with trauma survivors and trauma response at a somatic level. She utilizes knowledge about brain/body processes to normalize trauma activation and the effect it has on relationships with self and others. She teaches clients to investigate the language of their body which aids in the development of tools to regulate emotion, promotes agency over internal experience, and increases distress tolerance. Claire also utilizes cognitive therapy techniques that increase experience of choice around response to thought, emotion, and behavior patterns.
Claire is a LGBTQAI+ competent, sex and kink positive clinician. She is drawn to work with adults who experience symptoms related to trauma response, grief, depression, shame, and anxiety as well as clients who experience personality, attachment and relationship-related disorders.
Claire utilizes tools from Gottman Method relational therapy, she is a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner, a Sensorimotor Psychotherapy practitioner, and an active member of the Alaska Regional Chapter of The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (AK-ISSTD). She graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2010. In 2017 Claire obtained a Master of Arts in Professional Mental Health Counseling with certification in Ecopsychology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. During the five years between college and graduate school, Claire worked in Wyoming within the criminal court system as an advocate for victims of crime and for a non-profit as a shelter coordinator for women exposed to intimate partner violence and sexual assault.
Claire was born and raised in North Pole, Alaska. She spends most weekends backpacking, trail running, packrafting, and splitboarding.
Rates & Insurance
Diagnostic Assessment (1st session) - 90-min $340
60-minute session $250/hr
Mary Claire can bill your health insurance as an Out-of-Network Provider, which means that after your deductible is met, your insurance may cover a portion of services and you would be responsible for the remaining amount owed. Please check with your insurance company to find out what your Out-of-Network coverage offers.
Please note that Tri-Care and Medicaid are not accepted at this time.
GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE
Beginning January 1, 2022, federal laws regulating client care have been updated to include the “No Surprises” Act. This Act requires health care practitioners to provide current and potential clients who are not using insurance a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) on the cost of treatment.
This new regulation is designed to provide transparency to patients regarding their expected medical expenses and to protect them from surprises when they receive their medical bills. It allows patients to understand how much their health care will cost before they receive services.
When you set up services with Coastal Wellness, you will be provided with a verbal Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and will be given a written estimate once services begin. If you are a a current client, you will be provided with a GFE as well. Please contact us at 907-917-0191 with any billing questions.
In addition, the Good Faith Estimate offers specific protections:
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You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate even if you get superbills, since we are not in-network with insurance.
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You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare service or items.
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You have the right to receive your Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your scheduled healthcare service or item. If a service is scheduled at least 10 business days in advance, the Good Faith Estimate must be provided within 3 business days (of the scheduling, not of the appointment itself). If a service is scheduled at least 3 business days in advance, the Good Faith Estimate must be provided within 1 business day of scheduling.
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You have the right to request a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a healthcare service or item. For services scheduled less than 3 business days in advance, please note that a Good Faith Estimate is not required by federal law, and will not be provided for you in written form except by request.
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You have the right to receive a requested Good Faith Estimate within 3 business days.
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You have the right to dispute a bill that exceeds your Good Faith Estimate. The federal government offers a dispute resolution process for this purpose.
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions about the dispute process or for more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, please visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.