At a glance
- Credentials
- LCSW, LMFT
- License
- LCSW, Wisconsin / 7107-123; LMFT, Wisconsin / 676-124
- NPI
- 1629174040
- Experience
- 25 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- Wisconsin
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
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- Motivational Interviewing
- Mindfulness and ACT
- Relationship focus
About Mary
Mary Hargarten is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 25 years of clinical experience in Wisconsin. She offers a warm, caring, and down-to-earth approach that helps people find practical ways to cope with anxiety, depression, relationship stress, grief, and life changes.
Mary believes people already have strengths inside them and that therapy helps bring those strengths forward. She approaches sessions with compassion and a sense of humor, and she aims to understand each person's perspective before suggesting strategies. The work is collaborative - the client knows their life and Mary brings therapeutic tools to try together.
Her practice uses several approaches including Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Mindfulness-based techniques. Mary explains ideas plainly and focuses on concrete skills, such as noticing unhelpful thoughts, setting small goals, and practicing mindful moments during the day.
She often looks at the role family background plays in current patterns and helps people develop their own values and beliefs. That can include setting boundaries, managing conflict, or rebuilding after a separation.
Mary has worked with individuals, couples, and families across many life stages. She emphasizes balance across physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual areas, and she supports clients in identifying steps they can take right away to feel a bit better.
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How motivational and acceptance-based work can fit into online therapy
Mary uses Motivational Interviewing to help people clarify what matters to them and to find internal reasons to try different behaviors. That approach is useful when someone feels stuck or unsure about making changes. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on accepting things that can’t be changed while committing to actions that reflect personal values; it tends to help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions.
Mary also draws on Client-Centered Therapy ideas, which emphasize listening closely and responding to each person's unique experience. Together these approaches make therapy a collaborative process where the person and the therapist decide which methods to try based on goals and preferences.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Mary will talk with the client about what feels most useful and adapt strategies as the relationship develops. That might mean trying short goal-focused tasks one week and practicing mindfulness skills the next.
Her background includes many years of both in-person and online work, but the biography does not list specific session formats here. Confirm the current online session options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into busy days, reduce travel time, and allow brief check-ins when a longer visit feels difficult. Licensed professionals can use different methods remotely to teach skills, set goals, and review progress without promising a particular format. -
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
LGBTFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementBipolar disorderAdditional focus areas
Aging and geriatric issuesCaregiver issues and stressCommunication problemsDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameInfidelityLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issuesTherapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyExperience
25+ years
Listed in
Wisconsin
Languages
English
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Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does Mary help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting concerns, and mood and panic disorders among other concerns.
What is her therapy style like?
Mary brings a warm, nonjudgmental, and practical style. She listens closely, uses humor when appropriate, and helps people set small, achievable goals.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of experience providing in-person and online therapy in Wisconsin with individuals, couples, and families.
What credentials does she hold and where is she located?
Mary is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist licensed in Wisconsin.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Her biography notes experience with both in-person and online work; please confirm current session format options before booking.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session based on the therapist's availability.
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Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers