Mary Gales-Wenz , LICSW

Mary Gales-Wenz is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with four decades of experience in behavioral health. She brings a steady, practical approach to stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma, grief, and mood concerns. Mary frames conversations so people can talk about what matters and take clear next steps.

Mary spent twenty years working with the Department of Veterans Affairs in both St. Cloud and Minneapolis. She later provided mental health services at Hazelden Center for Youth and Families and at Allina Behavioral Health Clinics. She has also worked in residential treatment supervision for the Department of Corrections and in behavioral healthcare management for an insurance company.

Her clinical work has included adult, senior, and adolescent clients in chemical dependency and mental health treatment settings. That experience includes addressing post-traumatic stress, anxiety, sexual and physical trauma, and depression. Mary pays attention to how body states and emotions interact and helps people see those links.

Mary uses client-centered methods alongside cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavior, emotionally focused, and mindfulness approaches. Sessions focus on practical skills, new ways to notice patterns, and short-term problem solving when helpful. She aims to make therapy straightforward and usable in daily life.

Mary maintains a small private practice in Minnesota and keeps current with research and treatment options. She offers care by video, phone, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Mary often draws on client-centered therapy, which focuses on listening closely and following the person's priorities to guide each session. This approach helps people feel heard and shapes goals around what matters most to them.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a practical method that looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect and teaches skills to change unhelpful patterns. CBT can be useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is another tool she uses to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills when emotions feel overwhelming.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Mary will help figure out which methods fit best based on the client's needs, goals, and preferences, and will adapt techniques as progress is made.

Online therapy is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions let people maintain visual connection for longer conversations while phone sessions can work well when bandwidth is limited or hands-free check-ins are needed. Live chat and text messaging are useful for brief updates, quick skill practice, and flexibility during busy days. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, school, or caregiving routines without travel time.