Mary Hargarten, LCSW, LMFT

Mary Hargarten is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in Wisconsin. She brings 25 years of experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and life transitions like midlife crisis. Mary aims to help clients find and strengthen the skills they already have to cope with day-to-day life.

Mary uses practical, down-to-earth methods. She helps people look at their thoughts, set achievable goals, and notice habits that get in the way. She also teaches mindfulness and guides clients to decide what really matters to them and take steps toward those values. Sessions are collaborative - the client’s goals lead the work.

Her experience includes work with issues such as panic attacks, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy concerns, parenting, and caregiver stress. She pays attention to how family of origin shapes beliefs and behaviors and helps people sort which patterns to keep and which to change. Mary also supports people dealing with aging and geriatric concerns and the emotional strain of divorce and separation.

In the room she is warm, compassionate, and nonjudgmental, and she uses a sense of humor when it helps. She describes the therapeutic relationship as a partnership where the client is the expert on their life and she brings therapeutic tools. Many clients find that small, steady steps make lasting differences.

To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule based on therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How Mary’s Approaches Translate to Online Work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people clarify what matters to them and then take small steps toward those values. It uses mindfulness to notice difficult thoughts and teaches how to act despite them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors to find patterns that keep problems going, and then tests practical new ways of thinking and acting. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a warm, nonjudgmental relationship where the therapist listens closely and helps the person find their own solutions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Mary collaborates with each person to choose strategies that match their goals and situation. She blends methods when that helps and adjusts the plan as progress is made.

The biography does not specify which session formats are offered online, so confirm current session options before booking. Many people find online therapy easier to fit into a busy schedule, since it can reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins on hectic days. Online work can also make it simpler to use mindfulness exercises, track homework between sessions, and practice communication skills in real life between meetings.