Mara Chiles

Mara Chiles is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who practices in New York. She brings 22 years of experience helping people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship problems, addictions, and concerns related to parenting and family life. She also works with people navigating bipolar disorder and trauma and abuse. Her sessions start with listening. She asks about what feels hardest right now and what goals matter most. Mara uses straightforward conversation, reflective questions, and practical tools to help people notice patterns and try new ways of coping. She pays attention to strengths clients already have and builds from there. Mara blends ideas from cognitive behavioral approaches with psychodynamic thinking and client-centered care. She also draws on mindfulness and narrative techniques to help people manage strong emotions and reframe difficult stories. That mix is used to create clear, personalized steps rather than vague talk. She has experience supporting people through life transitions such as caring for aging parents, divorce and separation, and changes at work. She also helps with codependency, communication problems, and relapse prevention for drug and alcohol addiction when relevant. Mara aims to connect clients with services and community resources when needed, not only to talk but to provide ongoing support. The work is collaborative: she and the client set goals together and track progress over time. Her tone is compassionate, direct, and focused on practical change.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following the client's lead. The therapist prioritizes the client's goals and uses empathy and reflective feedback to help people clarify what they want to change. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to shift unhelpful patterns. It is useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and many day-to-day struggles.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Mara partners with each person to decide which methods fit their needs and preferences. Together they set goals, try strategies, and adjust the plan based on what helps most over time.

If you prefer online sessions, confirm the current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce time spent traveling to appointments. Licensed professionals can guide practical exercises, teach CBT skills, and use mindfulness practices effectively in virtual conversations, while also helping clients connect with local resources when that support is needed.