- Trauma informed
- LGBTQ ally
- Practical skills
About Marisela
Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten, LMSW, helps people facing trauma, depression, anxiety, bipolar challenges, and parenting stress. She also supports those coping with grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, sleep problems, anger, low self-esteem, and career strain. She is an LGBTQ+ ally and pays attention to how culture shapes each person's story.
She takes a respectful and compassionate approach in sessions. Conversations are tailored to the individual's needs, and she works to make therapy feel manageable and practical. Her style mixes listening with tools to handle strong emotions and day-to-day problems.
Over the past decade she has focused on individual therapy within a longer professional career. That background includes helping people with chronic pain, caregiver stress, dementia-related concerns, and motivation or confidence issues. She draws on a variety of approaches to fit what a person needs in the moment.
In a session she may teach simple skills for managing anxiety and mood, help set goals for change, and guide steady steps toward healthier routines. She pays attention to how identity and life context affect coping and choices. The goal is to help people feel steadier and more able to face everyday demands.
People who come to her can expect calm, practical conversation and a plan shaped to their goals. She encourages small, doable steps and offers steady support while people try out changes in their life.
She takes a respectful and compassionate approach in sessions. Conversations are tailored to the individual's needs, and she works to make therapy feel manageable and practical. Her style mixes listening with tools to handle strong emotions and day-to-day problems.
Over the past decade she has focused on individual therapy within a longer professional career. That background includes helping people with chronic pain, caregiver stress, dementia-related concerns, and motivation or confidence issues. She draws on a variety of approaches to fit what a person needs in the moment.
In a session she may teach simple skills for managing anxiety and mood, help set goals for change, and guide steady steps toward healthier routines. She pays attention to how identity and life context affect coping and choices. The goal is to help people feel steadier and more able to face everyday demands.
People who come to her can expect calm, practical conversation and a plan shaped to their goals. She encourages small, doable steps and offers steady support while people try out changes in their life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
10+ years
Credentials
Michigan
Languages
English
Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without being driven by them. It focuses on identifying personal values and taking small actions that match those values, which can help with depression, anxiety, and life transitions.Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's experience. The therapist listens closely, reflects what she hears, and helps people find their own direction. This approach is useful when someone needs a steady, empathetic space to sort through feelings and choices.
Finding the right approach usually happens together. The therapist will review your goals, try methods that match your needs, and adjust the plan as you go. This collaborative process helps make sure the work feels relevant and manageable.
Confirm the available session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit meetings into a busy day, shorten check-ins when time is limited, and reduce the need to travel. Therapists can use methods such as skills coaching, guided exercises, and problem-solving that translate well to remote work. Ask about the specific session formats offered when you schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She supports people dealing with trauma and abuse, depression, bipolar symptoms, anxiety, parenting strain, grief, sleep problems, anger, self-esteem, ADHD, and related concerns.
What is her general approach in sessions?
Sessions combine listening with practical techniques. She tailors conversation and tools to each person's needs and focuses on steps people can use between meetings.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 10 years focused on individual therapy within a longer professional career. That experience includes work with chronic illness, caregiver stress, and motivation or confidence issues.
What credentials and location are listed for this therapist?
She is listed as an LMSW and practices in Michigan.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people from other countries work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.