Mary Hargarten , LCSW, LMFT

Mary Hargarten is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - credentials that reflect training in clinical social work and family systems therapy. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she brings 25 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families in both in-person and online settings.

Her practice addresses a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, relationship and family problems, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem, intimacy-related issues, parenting challenges, bipolar disorder, and issues related to aging and caregiver stress. She also works with clients around communication problems, divorce and separation, domestic violence, forgiveness, guilt and shame, infidelity, life purpose, midlife transition, mood disorders, panic disorder, and postpartum depression.

Mary believes people already possess internal resources that can be cultivated to manage life’s demands. Her work focuses on helping clients discover and strengthen coping skills and build on existing strengths. She pays attention to how family of origin influences current beliefs and behavior and aims to help clients find balance across physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual areas of life.

Warm, compassionate, and non-judgmental, Mary brings a sense of humor and an effort to understand each person’s perspective. She views clients as experts on their own lives and combines that understanding with professional knowledge of therapeutic strategies. Her approach draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused work, Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness practices, and Bowen family-systems ideas to tailor treatment to each person’s goals. She welcomes the opportunity to support people as they take steps toward meaningful change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Mary integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients notice difficult thoughts and feelings while clarifying personal values and committing to meaningful actions - an approach useful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes empathetic listening and building a trusting therapeutic relationship so clients feel heard and supported while exploring their own solutions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another common tool in her work - CBT focuses on identifying and gently challenging unhelpful thought patterns and developing practical skills to change behaviors and improve mood.

Finding the right combination of approaches is part of the therapeutic process, and Mary works collaboratively with each person to identify what fits best with their needs, goals, and preferences. She frames treatment as a team effort - the client brings their life expertise and Mary offers clinical strategies to guide progress.

Online therapy with Mary is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for busy schedules, mobility limits, or geographic constraints. These options let clients access licensed professionals from home or other convenient locations, maintain continuity of care during life changes, and choose the format that feels most comfortable for each stage of treatment.