Mary Van Hooser

Compassionate, practical support for lasting change

LISW Ohio

Experience: 35 years in practice
Focus areas: Addictions, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages: English

About Mary

Mary Van Hooser is a licensed independent social worker with 35 years of experience helping people who feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or traumatized find practical coping skills and steady support.

Background and approach

She welcomes conversations at each person’s pace, prioritizing what helps them feel calm and less stigmatized while building strength through shared experience. Her background includes both clinical practice and lived experience, which she uses to bring empathy and practical perspective to sessions.

Mary often supports people facing serious and chronic mental health challenges, offering encouragement to live in the community and pursue meaningful goals. She also works with family members of those in recovery, drawing on personal experience with loved ones affected by severe mental illness and addiction to offer nonjudgmental understanding.

A veteran herself, she is familiar with military culture and its impacts. Her style blends client-centered listening with insight into life history, helping clients identify problem-solving strategies and concrete, personalized tools.

She is known for a calming presence and an open, transparent manner, and she aims to help clients move through hardships toward a more fulfilling life.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Mary commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and shift unhelpful thought and behavior patterns; this approach is often used for anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and impulse-related concerns. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, focusing on empathetic listening and supporting clients to explore their values and goals at a comfortable pace. When helpful, elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy are incorporated to build skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Mary treats the choice of methods as collaborative, adjusting strategies to match the client’s needs, goals, and preferences while encouraging active input on what feels most useful in sessions.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which provide flexibility for people with busy schedules, mobility limits, or geographic distance. These formats allow for continuity of care and easier access to ongoing support from licensed professionals while accommodating different communication styles and pacing.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Mary address?

She works with a wide range of issues including addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, grief, intimacy-related issues, and compassion fatigue among others.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her approach emphasizes client-centered listening, practical problem solving, and applying coping skills at a comfortable pace for each person.

How much experience does she have in mental health?

Mary brings 35 years of social work experience in the mental health field and draws on both professional and personal life experience.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She holds an LISW license and practices from Ohio, listed as OH LISW I.0009592-SUPV.

Does she work with nonlocal or international clients?

Yes, she accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English.

Which session formats are available?

Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs.

How are fees and scheduling handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

What do I do to begin working with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to her availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Addictions Trauma and abuse Self esteemBipolar disorderDepression

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesAnger managementCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

Caregiver issues and stressDrug and alcohol addictionFirst responder issuesGuilt and shame Impulsivity Isolation / lonelinessLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersParanoiaPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

35+ years

Licensed

Ohio

Languages

English