Mary Van Hooser, LISW

Mary Van Hooser is a licensed independent social worker who helps people who feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or traumatized. She meets people where they are and moves at a pace that feels comfortable. Her focus is on practical coping skills and on reducing the shame that can come with mental health struggles.

Mary draws on 35 years in mental health practice and on her own lived experience as a family member and veteran. That combination shapes a direct, empathetic style that aims to make conversations feel honest and real. She listens first, then helps people find steps that fit their life.

Sessions often begin with talking through what currently feels hardest. She helps people identify small changes that build calm and safety. Over time she works on problem solving and habits people can use when stress or symptoms flare.

Mary has worked with a wide range of concerns including addictions, trauma, mood disorders, grief, anxiety, anger, and caregiver stress. She also supports people coping with stigma, prejudice, and challenges that come with military culture.

Her methods include practical tools from cognitive behavioral approaches, client-centered listening, mindfulness, and skills drawn from dialectical behavior approaches. The goal is to increase day-to-day functioning and reduce the burden of mental health problems while respecting each persons pace and values.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Mary commonly uses cognitive behavioral approaches and client-centered listening in sessions. Cognitive behavioral work focuses on noticing patterns of thought and behavior and trying small experiments to change them; it is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Client-centered therapy emphasizes listening, acceptance, and working at the clients pace to help people feel heard and to explore what matters most to them.

She also draws on skills from dialectical behavior therapy where useful, teaching concrete strategies for managing intense emotions and improving coping during crises. Choosing the right approach is collaborative; the therapist and client discuss goals, preferences, and what seems to help, then adjust methods as progress is made.

Online sessions can take place by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, chat or messaging is useful for brief check-ins or ongoing support, and text can fit into a busy day. These options make it easier to schedule around work, caregiving, or travel while keeping therapy part of everyday life.