Works with
- Anger
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Intimacy-related issues
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
How Mary works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Virginia
- Years in practice
- 25
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Mary
Mary Messerschmidt is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in Virginia who helps people work through anger, anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship strain, and other life stressors. She brings 25 years of experience to sessions and aims to create a respectful, down-to-earth space for change. Mary works one person at a time to match practical tools to each situation.
She listens first, then offers straightforward strategies to manage emotions, reduce impulsive reactions, and rebuild trust in relationships.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on small, doable steps that fit real life. Her style balances structure and warmth. Mary draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to identify unhelpful thinking and on acceptance-based practices to build tolerance for strong feelings.
She also uses attachment-focused ideas to look at how past relationships shape current patterns. Clients can expect clear skills training and time to talk through what matters most. She also integrates techniques from dialectical behavior work to support emotional regulation and from client-centered methods to keep the conversation grounded in each person's values and goals.
Mary also offers coaching for people wanting more direction around career or life transitions. She emphasizes practical progress over perfection and helps clients set realistic goals and sustain momentum.
What Mary works with
Everything Mary lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Mary's practice.
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Intimacy-related issues
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trichotillomania
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Mary lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Imago Relationship Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and connect with their values so they can act in ways that matter. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and motivation struggles.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying thinking patterns and changing behaviors through practical exercises. It works well for anger management, mood concerns, and stress reduction.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Mary will work with each person to choose methods that match their goals and preferences and will adjust strategies as needed over time.
Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs. Video lets people work face to face from wherever they are, phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text-based messaging can support shorter check-ins or ongoing coaching between sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent during busy weeks or life transitions.
Questions people ask about Mary
What concerns does Mary commonly address?
Mary supports people with anger, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, trauma, caregiving stress, ADHD, and career or life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is a mix of warm listening and concrete skill building. Sessions tend to combine emotional exploration with hands-on tools you can use between meetings.
What kind of background and experience does she have?
She is a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of clinical experience working with a wide range of concerns.
Where is she based and what license does she hold?
She practices in Virginia and holds the LCSW credential listed as VA LCSW.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available online?
Mary offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging so clients can choose what fits their routine.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to therapist availability.