Profile / United States
Mary Van Hooser, LISW
Ohio
Ohio LISW - Addiction and Trauma
See online therapy options- Addictions support
- Anxiety and depression
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
About Mary
Mary Van Hooser is an Ohio Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) with 35 years of experience. She helps people who feel discouraged, overwhelmed, traumatized, or who live with chronic mental health challenges. She also supports those coping with addiction, grief, anger, and stress. Sessions are conducted in English and she accepts international clients.
Mary listens first and asks about what the person notices in day-to-day life. She uses practical problem solving and client-centered methods to build coping skills and reduce stigma. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is part of her approach, along with mindfulness and dialectical behavior techniques when they fit the situation.
Her background includes long-term social work in mental health and lived experience caring for family members with severe mental illness and addiction. She is a veteran and understands aspects of veteran culture and first responder stress from that perspective. That experience shapes how she talks about stigma, guilt, and navigating community supports.
In sessions she invites people to go at their own pace and to describe what helps them feel calmer. Treatment focuses on clear skills - thought recognition, behavior changes, emotional regulation, and small practical steps for daily life. She also helps family members of people in recovery understand how to cope and set boundaries.
Mary aims to reduce judgment and encourage honest conversation. She combines listening with concrete strategies so people can try different ways of responding to difficult feelings and situations.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Mary uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test new responses. CBT sessions focus on concrete steps - identifying thoughts, trying small behavioral experiments, and tracking results over time. Client-Centered Therapy provides a listening-focused space where the person's priorities guide the work and the therapist reflects what is most important to them.She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotional regulation and distress tolerance when those tools are useful. DBT techniques teach specific strategies for managing strong emotions, improving interpersonal effectiveness, and reducing impulsive reactions. These approaches are presented in simple, practical terms and applied to everyday situations.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She will talk with the client about goals, try approaches that fit the concern, and adjust methods based on what helps. The client and therapist decide together whether to emphasize CBT skill practice, DBT tools, or a client-centered conversation style.
Confirm current session formats before booking so you know how sessions are delivered. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a day, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Discuss scheduling and session length during the matching questionnaire and first session so therapy fits into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
35+ years
Listed in
Ohio
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, grief, anger, and related stressors.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is client-centered and practical, focusing on listening first and using problem solving and skill teaching to change thoughts and behaviors.
How much experience does she bring?
She has 35 years of social work experience in mental health and long-term experience supporting people through serious mental illness and addiction.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an Ohio LISW, practicing from Ohio.
In which languages can sessions be held?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with people outside the United States?
She accepts international clients; confirm session logistics and any time zone arrangements when you schedule.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are required to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.