Mary Cowen, LCSW

Mary Cowen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 26 years of experience. She has practiced in Texas, Oklahoma, and now North Carolina. Mary works with adults facing common life stresses and complex emotional concerns. Her tone is warm and direct, and she focuses on practical steps people can use right away.

Over her career she has supported people with depression, anxiety, grief, eating concerns, addiction, trauma, and relationship strains. She has also worked with cancer patients, caregivers, and those facing end-of-life issues. That varied background includes community mental health, hospitals, inpatient settings, hospice, school-based services, and in-home care.

Mary adapts her approach to what each person needs. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, motivational interviewing, client-centered work, and solution-focused techniques when they fit the situation. Sessions tend to be interactive and goal-oriented, with time spent on skill practice and clear next steps.

Her style is respectful and compassionate. Mary listens closely, helps people sort priorities, and breaks larger problems into manageable tasks. She supports people who want practical strategies for mood, stress, relationships, or life transitions.

To begin, Mary helps clients identify the next small move that feels doable. She aims to empower people so they can handle setbacks and build toward lasting change. Her focus is on steady progress and realistic coping tools.

Approaches that translate well to online care

Mary commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy in sessions. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavior changes to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Client-centered work emphasizes listening, empathy, and collaborating to clarify goals and priorities so clients feel heard and understood.

She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotion regulation and coping. DBT skills teach practical tools for managing intense feelings, improving distress tolerance, and strengthening communication in relationships. These skill-based practices can be practiced between sessions and reviewed over video or text exchanges.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Mary will discuss your goals, try methods that match your needs, and adjust strategies together. That collaborative process helps identify what techniques feel most useful and how to apply them to everyday situations.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is helpful for in-depth conversations and skill teaching, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, chat or text work well for brief check-ins or between-session support. These options offer flexibility to fit work, caregiving, or travel schedules while keeping therapy consistent.