Mary Van Hooser, LISW

Mary Van Hooser brings more than 35 years of experience as a social worker in the field of mental health, offering steady support to people who feel discouraged, overwhelmed, or traumatized and to those living with chronic mental health conditions. She focuses on helping individuals speak about their struggles at a comfortable pace, identify what restores a sense of safety and calm, and develop practical coping strategies that reduce stigma and promote resilience.

Mary also works with family members supporting loved ones in recovery, drawing on her own lived experience as a spouse, mother, sibling and coworker. She has navigated severe mental illness and substance addiction within her family and recognizes how stigma, stereotypes and misinformation affect people from all backgrounds. As a veteran, she brings an understanding of veteran culture to her work with service members and veterans.

Mary holds the LISW credential, which stands for Licensed Independent Social Worker, and combines empathic listening with problem-solving and client-centered planning. She is known for a calming presence, openness and transparency, and an ability to help people explore both current concerns and past history to gain insight and implement solutions. Mary welcomes people from all walks of life and aims to assist them in overcoming obstacles and moving toward a more fulfilling life.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care

Mary uses client-centered therapy to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where individuals set the pace and direction of conversations; this approach emphasizes empathy and personal strengths and helps people who need space to process trauma, grief, or life transitions.

She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and mood disorders and to build practical coping skills for day-to-day challenges. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is another part of her practice, offering specific skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance and improving relationships - tools often helpful for impulsivity, intense emotions and interpersonal conflict.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Mary works with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences, and she adapts techniques over time as progress and challenges evolve.

Online therapy offers flexible access to licensed professionals through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity of care from different locations, and choose the communication style that feels most comfortable while working toward meaningful change with a therapist.