- 40 years experience
- Client-centered approach
- Mind-body focus
About Mary
Mary Gales-Wenz is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with more than 40 years in behavioral health. She brings steady, practical support for people coping with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and trauma. Mary shares straightforward guidance and helps people find tools they can use between sessions.
She earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work and spent two decades working for the Department of Veterans Affairs in both St. Cloud and Minneapolis. That work included outpatient and inpatient settings and shaped her experience with post-traumatic stress and veteran-related concerns. After that period she provided mental health services at treatment centers and clinics across Minnesota and held roles in clinical supervision and behavioral healthcare management.
Mary has worked with adults, seniors, and adolescents in chemical dependency and mental health settings. Her background includes treating anxiety, mood disorders, sexual and physical trauma, grief, and complications from chronic illness. She pays attention to how physical symptoms and emotional states connect and helps people notice practical patterns in their daily lives.
Her approach draws on methods like client-centered care, cognitive behavioral tools, dialectical behavior ideas, emotionally focused work, and mindfulness practices. Mary emphasizes collaboration and clear skills practice so people can try small changes that add up.
To begin, she asks simple questions about current concerns and goals, then suggests focused steps that fit each person’s situation. The aim is steady progress, one practical skill at a time.
How her approaches translate to online work
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting, one-on-one relationship, helping people clarify goals and feel heard. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches practical steps to change unhelpful thinking and behavior, which can be practiced between sessions and tracked online. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) offers skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance that many people find useful during stressful periods.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels useful, then suggest approaches to try and adjust as needed. That collaborative process helps match tools to each person's needs rather than assuming a single method will fit.
Session formats are not specified in the therapist biography, so confirm current options before booking. Many people appreciate online therapy for fitting sessions into a busy life, shortening travel time, enabling quick check-ins during a lunch break, or avoiding the need to be on camera for every meeting. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises, homework, and skill practice for remote sessions so clients can continue progress between visits.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
40+ years
Credentials
Minnesota
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and related issues such as grief, sleep problems, codependency, and chronic pain.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is collaborative and practical, using client-centered listening alongside cognitive behavioral and mindfulness techniques to build useful skills.
How long has she worked in behavioral health?
She has over 40 years of experience in a range of behavioral health settings, including long service with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She holds a Minnesota Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker credential (LICSW) and practices from Minnesota.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are fees and payment handled?
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?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.