- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- CBT methods
- Mindfulness practices
About Mary
Mary Gales-Wenz is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, MN LICSW, with more than 40 years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, and concerns such as sleep problems, anger, and self-esteem.
She spent two decades providing outpatient and inpatient care at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals in St. Cloud and Minneapolis. Since then she has worked in community mental health, addiction treatment, insurance behavioral health management, and clinical supervision for residential programs. She has maintained a small private practice since 2009.
Mary has treated adults, seniors, and adolescents in chemical dependency and mental health settings. Her work has included post-traumatic stress, sexual and physical trauma, mood disorders, and co-occurring addiction and mental health concerns. She also addresses issues linked to chronic pain, illness, and disability.
Her approach draws on Emotionally-Focused Therapy as one of several methods. She also uses client-centered techniques, cognitive behavioral methods, dialectical behavior strategies, and mindfulness-based practices to help people name feelings and change unhelpful patterns.
Mary is interested in the mind-body connection and in therapies that make emotional and physical links easier to understand. She has training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy to help process emotional and cognitive experiences. Her practice focuses on clear, practical work people can use between sessions.
How Emotionally-Focused and Practical Methods Work Online
Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps people name and respond to core emotions that shape their patterns. It focuses on feelings and the interactional patterns they create, which can be useful for anxiety, grief, and trauma-related problems. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and working at each person's pace to support clearer self-understanding and practical next steps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts and behaviors keep problems going and introduces small, structured changes to reduce symptoms such as anxiety and low mood.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about their goals, symptoms, and life circumstances, and together they will decide which methods to try first. Sessions often mix approaches so practical skills and emotional processing happen side by side.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Online meetings can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, avoid travel time, or have shorter check-ins when needed. They also allow continuity of care when life or work schedules change, and therapists can adapt exercises and homework to what works best for each person.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
40+ years
Listed in
Minnesota
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, sleep and anger problems, self-esteem issues, and related concerns such as chronic pain and codependency.
What kind of therapy style does she use?
She uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside client-centered, cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavior, and mindfulness approaches to help people identify feelings and change patterns.
How long has she practiced?
She has over 40 years of experience working in behavioral health settings including VA hospitals, community clinics, addiction treatment, and private practice.
What are her credentials and location?
She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, MN LICSW, practicing in Minnesota.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Are international clients accepted?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions arranged and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.