Mary Van HooserLISW

Mary Van Hooser is a licensed independent social worker who supports people feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or traumatized. She offers steady, nonjudgmental listening and helps clients find practical ways to cope. Her manner is calm and direct, and she focuses on helping people talk at their own pace.

With more than 35 years as a social worker, Mary draws on long experience in mental health settings. She helps people with mood disorders, anxiety, addictions, grief, and postpartum depression. She also offers understanding to people touched by serious mental illness in family members and those affected by trauma and abuse.

Mary describes herself as having lived experience that shapes her practice. She is a veteran and has supported close family through severe mental illness and addiction. That background informs her empathy and her low-key, realistic approach to problem solving.

Her work centers on hearing a person’s story, looking at current and past history, and building small, client-centered steps toward improvement. She uses talking, practical coping skills, and encouragement to help people live more fully in their communities.

Mary tailors her approach to each person’s needs and values. She helps clients name what makes them feel safer and calmer, and then practices strategies that reduce stigma and increase daily functioning.

How Mary blends practical methods with online care

Mary often uses client-centered work that puts the person's concerns first and follows their pace. This approach focuses on listening, validating experiences, and finding small steps that feel doable for each client. It helps with stress, grief, and adjusting to life changes.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and phobias because it teaches concrete skills to change patterns that cause distress.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes skills for regulating intense emotions and managing impulsivity. It can help with anger, self-destructive urges, and strong emotional reactions by teaching coping strategies and grounding techniques.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, background, and comfort level. That plan can change over time as needs shift.

If you prefer working remotely, check the available session options before booking to confirm what this therapist currently offers. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Discussing practical scheduling and preferred formats is part of the initial matching process.