- Warm collaborative style
- Strengths focused
- Practical coping skills
About Mary
Mary Hargarten is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Wisconsin. She has worked in therapy for 25 years and draws on that experience to help people facing anxiety, depression, panic attacks, relationship strain, and life transitions.
Her approach combines practical tools and personal reflection. Mary emphasizes building on individual strengths and finding everyday coping skills. She believes people already have resources inside them and helps bring those resources into view.
Mary pays attention to family history and how early family patterns shape current choices. She supports people in identifying beliefs that help or hold them back and in developing their own values. The work often includes looking at communication and problem patterns and experimenting with new ways of relating.
Her style is warm, straightforward, and compassionate, with a sense of humor when it helps. She describes therapy as a collaboration where the person brings life expertise and she brings therapeutic strategies. Sessions aim to be practical and focused on goals the person cares about.
Over the years Mary has helped people with grief, trauma and abuse, postpartum depression, caregiver stress, midlife questions, and issues around intimacy and sexuality. She welcomes conversations about what matters most to a person and about steps that feel doable in daily life.
How therapy methods translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts, accept what can’t be changed, and commit to actions that match their values. It’s often useful for anxiety, depression, and life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical skills to shift unhelpful patterns; this approach is commonly used for panic, anxiety, and mood problems. Mindfulness therapy involves simple attention practices to reduce reactivity and build calm presence in daily life.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Mary treats therapy as a collaborative process - she listens to concerns, discusses options, and helps select methods that match the person’s goals and preferences. Changes are paced to what feels manageable, and the plan can shift as needs change.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know which online formats are supported. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, allow shorter check-ins when helpful, and remove commuting time. It also makes it possible to use guided exercises, worksheets, and mindfulness practices during and between sessions to reinforce new skills.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
Wisconsin
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Mary commonly help with?
She works with a range of concerns including anxiety, panic attacks, depression, relationship difficulties, grief, trauma and life transitions.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is warm, nonjudgmental, and collaborative. She mixes practical tools with reflective work and uses humor when it helps.
How much experience does she have?
Mary has 25 years of clinical experience working with individuals, couples, and families in person and online.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds LCSW and LMFT credentials and practices in Wisconsin.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
Please confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are available.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in getting started?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.