Mary Ruhland, LISW, CSW-PIP

Mary Ruhland is a licensed independent social worker with 30 years of experience in Iowa. She uses a warm, person-focused style to help people facing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and struggles with self-esteem. Mary aims to build practical skills alongside emotional understanding so people can manage hard moments and make steady progress.

She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different actions. Mary also uses client-centered techniques to listen deeply and shape the work around each person’s goals. When emotions run intense, she brings in strategies from Dialectical Behavior Therapy to teach coping skills and emotional regulation.

Mary has long helped people who feel isolated or stuck during life transitions. She often addresses relationship strain, intimacy worries, and communication problems while also working on issues like panic attacks, addictions, and anger. Body image, attachment concerns, and guilt or shame are other common topics she supports people with.

Sessions focus on clear, doable steps. Mary helps clients develop communication habits, set boundaries, and practice skills between sessions. She balances emotional exploration with concrete tools so progress can be measured and built over time.

People who connect with her often want a steady, respectful ally who listens and offers practical strategies. Her work is collaborative: she helps people set goals, try new approaches, and adjust the plan as needs change.

Practical therapy approaches for online care

Mary often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT is a straightforward, action-oriented approach that can reduce worry, panic, and mood symptoms by practicing new thoughts and routines. She also works with Client-Centered Therapy, which emphasizes listening, empathy, and shaping sessions around the goals each person brings. That approach helps people feel heard and guides the pace of change.

When emotions become overwhelming, Mary incorporates Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills to teach distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These tools can be useful for managing intense reactions, reducing impulsivity, and improving communication. Choosing the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process; Mary will help you decide what fits your needs, goals, and preferences and will adjust the plan as you progress.

Online sessions are available by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different lifestyles. Video calls are good for deeper conversations and nonverbal cues, phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited, and messaging or live chat suit quick check-ins or ongoing support between appointments. This range makes it easier to schedule sessions around work, caregiving, or other commitments.