Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten

Compassionate, collaborative therapy for life’s challenges

LMSW Michigan

Experience: 10 years in practice
Focus areas: Trauma and abuse, Parenting, Bipolar
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Marisela

Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten is a Michigan-based licensed social worker (LMSW) who offers individual therapy grounded in respect, sensitivity, and compassion.

Background and approach

With ten years focused on providing one-on-one therapeutic care within a broader 30-year professional history, she supports people facing concerns such as trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, stress, grief, relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting challenges, ADHD, and caregiver fatigue.

She also addresses a wide range of related difficulties including chronic pain and illness, body image, communication problems, and life transitions. Her approach is collaborative and tailored, adapting conversations and treatment plans to each person’s circumstances and goals.

Marisela names Cognitive Behavioral Therapy among the methods she uses alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy. She identifies as an LGBTQ ally and attends to cultural factors that influence care.

Prospective clients are invited to take the first step toward change knowing the therapist emphasizes empowerment, practical coping strategies, and steady support throughout the therapeutic process.

How evidence-based approaches translate to online care

Marisela integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into her work. CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety, depression, and sleep problems, offering practical skills for day-to-day coping. ACT emphasizes values-driven action and mindfulness-based strategies to help people accept difficult internal experiences while committing to meaningful life changes.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and the nature of presenting concerns to determine which methods or combination of methods fit best, and she adapts plans as progress unfolds to keep therapy aligned with the client’s needs.

Online therapy with this clinician is available through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for scheduling and formats that suit different communication styles. These options make it easier to access consistent care from Michigan without the need to commute, and they allow clients to practice skills and receive support in ways that match their daily routines.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?

She works with a broad range of concerns including trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, stress, grief, relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting challenges, ADHD, and caregiver fatigue, plus related areas like chronic illness, body image, and communication problems.

How would you describe the therapeutic style used?

The therapist emphasizes a collaborative, client-centered style that tailors dialogue and treatment plans to each person’s needs, combining practical coping strategies with supportive guidance.

What is the clinician’s professional background?

She has a total of 30 years of professional work experience, with ten years devoted specifically to providing individual therapy.

What credentials and location are listed?

The clinician holds an LMSW credential and practices from Michigan; the listed credential detail is MI LMSW 6801091744.

Are services offered in other languages or to international clients?

Services are provided in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.

Which session formats are available?

Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on client preference and therapist availability.

How is cost determined for therapy?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are delivered through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What steps are involved to begin working together?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Trauma and abuseParenting issuesBipolar disorderDepression Coping with life changes

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoachingCompassion fatigue ADHD

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 OCD Panic 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

Licensed

Michigan

Languages

English