Mary Van Hooser, LISW

Mary Van Hooser is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) who helps people who feel discouraged, overwhelmed, or traumatized find practical ways to cope. She welcomes conversations at each person’s pace and focuses on what helps them feel calmer and more supported.

She uses a straightforward, listening-first style. Sessions begin with talking through current struggles and past history. Together with the client she looks for small problem-solving steps that fit daily life and reduce stigma around seeking help.

Mary has worked in mental health for 35 years and brings both professional and personal perspective to her work. She is a spouse, parent, sibling, and veteran and has lived experience with serious mental illness and addiction in her family. That background shapes how she listens and responds.

Her practice includes support for addictions, trauma and abuse, mood disorders such as bipolar and depression, grief, caregiver stress, first responder and veteran issues, and compassion fatigue. She also helps with anxiety, phobias, social isolation, intimacy concerns, and impulsivity.

Her approach is client-centered and practical. She aims to create a calm space where people can open up, name what’s going on, and try new ways to cope. Mary encourages steady steps toward greater stability and a more satisfying everyday life.

How her approaches guide online work

Mary frequently draws on Client-Centered Therapy to create a listening-first space where clients set the pace and guide the topics. This approach helps people who feel overwhelmed build trust and name what they need in everyday life.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help identify patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to distress. CBT focuses on concrete steps and small experiments that can reduce anxiety, depression, or compulsive habits.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Mary will work with each person to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and preferences, and she adapts over time as progress is made or priorities change.

The biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Many people find online sessions helpful because they can fit therapy into work breaks, reduce travel time, or choose a shorter check-in when needed. Online work can make it easier to keep steady appointments and practice tools between sessions while still getting the guidance of a licensed professional.