Mary Van Hooser - Mental Health Counselor | The Center for Internet & Technology Addiction

Accepting new clients

35 years experience | Intl Clients Welcome

About Mary Van Hooser

I have a wide variety of experience in working with people who are feeling discouraged, overwhelmed and traumatized and are in need of support and coping skills. I also work with people with more serious and chronic mental health disorders by giving them support and encouragement to live in the community and live their life to the fullest. My approach is to help a person talk about their mental health at their own pace, what helps them feel safe and calm and how to do this in a way that makes them feel less stigmatized and gain support and strength through sharing their experience.

I also enjoy working with family members of people that are in recovery for a serious mental illness. I have my own lived experience and feel it makes me more empathetic and understanding as a practitioner. I also am a veteran and can work with veterans by understanding some of their culture.

I have been a social worker in the field of mental health for 35 plus years but more importantly I am a spouse, mother, sibling and co worker. I have experienced a lot including severe mental illness with a sibling, drug addiction with a family member, LGBTQ and teenage years. These are all people I love and have learned that life comes at people of all walks of life and I am very non judgmental because of that. I am good at putting myself in others shoes and have experienced first hand the stigma, stereotypes and misinformation people from all walks of like can encounter.

My approach to helping others is to listen and explore current and past history to help gain insight and put problem solving, client-centered solutions into place. I am seen as having a calming influence on others and generally am able to get others to open up and share their concerns. I am a very open transparent person and I look forward to working with people from all walks of life. Please consider me in your selection of a therapist and I will work hard to assist you in overcoming hardships and obstacles to reach a happier more fulfilling place in your life.

Licenses

LISW

I.0009592-SUPV

Professional experience

Addictions
Anger management
Bipolar disorder
Compassion fatigue
Depression
Family conflicts
Grief
Intimacy-related issues
Self esteem
Stress, Anxiety
Trauma and abuse

Additional Focus Areas

Caregiver issues and stress
Drug and alcohol addiction
First responder issues
Guilt and shame
Impulsivity
Isolation / loneliness
Life purpose
Mood disorders
Paranoia
Phobias
Post-traumatic stress
Postpartum depression
Prejudice and discrimination
Social anxiety and phobia
Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Women's issues

Clinical Approaches

Client-Centered Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Existential Therapy
Mindfulness Therapy
Motivational Interviewing
Solution-Focused Therapy
Trauma-Focused Therapy

Languages

English

15 Reviews

“Only had one session with her so far but she makes me feel safe to share my emotions.<br /> It's easy to talk to her and open up”

“The highlight of my week is spending an hour having someone on the outside of my friends and family that listens to my week, completely understanding, and nonjudgmental.”

“Mary is a tremendous help!”

“She is very nice, respects and listens to my concerns. She gave suggestions and cheered for me and told me everything will be better. I would really recommend her for a therapist.”

“She is the first therapist I’ve had in half a decade and honestly has made therapy in general seem a lot easier to consider going forward. I’m also a lot more comfortable talking to her as opposed to any other therapist I’ve had. She’s very easy to talk to and she listens and addresses my thoughts very well and with great care!”

“Mary is the best!!!”

“Mary has been a very comforting and reassuring. She has been very helpful in a variety of situations I have brought to her - and she is extremely relatable. I look forward to being able to talk to Mary!”

“She is nice, very helpful and understanding”

“Mary is understanding and culturally competent. She listens and gives advice considering my cultural beliefs and traditions.”

“Mary understands the problem well and listens very attentively.”

“Mary is a good person, listens to me and provides me with honest feedback not just asking me what I feel I should do like other therapists.”

“I enjoyed speaking with Mary. She easy to talk with and gives an honest opinion on everything”

“Mary has been so helpful and is very supportive. I would highly recommend her to anyone. She is flexible with scheduling and easy to get along with.”

“Mary is very kind and understanding. She is also very flexible with her schedule which has been great for me. I find myself looking forward to our conversations.”

“Great therapist. Thanks so much Mary!”

These reviews represent a few of the most recent positive reviews from the therapist's clients on BetterHelp. Some people's experience may be different.