Mara Chiles, LCSW

Mara Chiles is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in New York. She draws on more than 22 years of experience helping people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship trouble, addiction, and parenting concerns.

Mara keeps sessions straightforward and practical. She listens closely, asks clear questions, and helps people identify their strengths. From there she and the client agree on small, doable goals and steps to reach them.

Her work combines cognitive behavioral techniques with psychodynamic ideas and client-centered listening. She also uses mindfulness and narrative approaches when these fit a person's needs. The emphasis is on tools people can use between sessions to feel steadier and more in control.

Alongside talking therapy, Mara connects people with community resources and services when that helps a situation. That practical support is part of how she helps during life transitions or when caregiving and health concerns add stress.

Mara aims for a collaborative process that honors each person's pace. She focuses on clear goals, steady progress, and building skills that last beyond therapy.

Approaches that guide online work

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small changes in behavior. It helps with anxiety, depression, stress, and patterns that get in the way of daily life. Client-centered therapy emphasizes being heard and understood so people can tap their own strengths and make choices that fit their values. This approach can help when someone needs a steady, empathic space to sort through decisions or emotions.

Mara uses these approaches together with mindfulness and narrative ideas when appropriate. Choosing the right method is part of the process. She will talk with each person about goals, try approaches that match those goals, and adjust the work based on what feels most helpful. That makes therapy a team effort rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and messaging or chat can suit brief check-ins or days when typing feels simpler. These options help people fit therapy into work, caregiving, or busy days while keeping momentum between meetings.