Works with
How Mary works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LISW, CSW-PIP
- Licensed in
- Iowa, South Dakota
- Years in practice
- 30
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Mary
Mary Ruhland practices a client-centered style that helps people manage strong emotions and find clearer paths forward. She is a licensed independent social worker with 30 years of experience in Iowa, and she focuses on concerns such as anger, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and self-esteem. Mary aims to make sessions straightforward and practical.
She listens first, helps people name what matters, and offers tools to change unhelpful patterns. Conversations cover everyday struggles like panic, feeling isolated, or trouble with intimacy and communication.
Background and approach
Her work often includes skill-building to handle intense feelings and reduce impulsivity. She draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to spot thinking patterns that fuel distress. Dialectical behavior strategies are used when emotions feel overwhelming and patients need grounding skills.
Mary also uses approaches that attend to relationships and attachment. Emotionally-focused ideas help people see how past hurts shape current bonds. The Gottman Method informs work on communication and managing conflict in close connections.
Clients can expect calm, direct guidance and a focus on small changes that add up. Sessions aim to strengthen self-compassion, improve coping, and increase confidence in handling life transitions. The style is collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.
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.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Addictions
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Anger management
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Approaches Mary lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Gottman Method
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approach-driven online care for strong emotions
Mary integrates client-centered work with cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy to address anger, anxiety, and mood concerns. Client-centered work means sessions begin with listening to what matters most and shaping goals around the person's priorities. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at how thoughts influence feelings and behavior and teaches concrete skills to shift unhelpful patterns. Dialectical behavior therapy adds emotion regulation and distress-tolerance tools for times when feelings become intense or impulsive.Finding the right approach is part of the process, and Mary treats that as a team effort. She will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and then try methods that fit those needs. Adjustments are made over time so the work stays useful and relevant.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care more practical. Video lets people have a face-to-face conversation from wherever they are. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is low or when a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging provide brief check-ins, ongoing support between sessions, or a different way to communicate when typing feels easier. These options let people fit therapy into busy days and keep progress moving forward.
Questions people ask about Mary
What kinds of problems does she help with?
Mary works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem, addictions, eating issues, anger, and compassion fatigue. She also focuses on related areas such as attachment, body image, communication problems, and mood disorders.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is client-centered and collaborative. She blends practical skill teaching with emotional exploration using methods like CBT and DBT when helpful.
How long has she been practicing?
She has 30 years of clinical experience working with people on a variety of emotional and relational concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is licensed as an independent social worker in Iowa with credentials listed as LISW and CSW-PIP.
In what languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Mary offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexible ways to connect.
How much do sessions cost?
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, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.