About Mara
Mara Chiles is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 22 years of experience helping people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship struggles, and addiction. She works in New York and supports concerns that include parenting, career strain, self-esteem, bipolar disorder, trauma and abuse, and family problems. She aims to make talking about hard things feel straightforward and manageable.
Her approach centers on listening first and building goals together. She draws on client-centered methods to identify strengths and set practical steps.
How Mara works
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to spot and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. She also weaves in psychodynamic ideas to understand long-standing patterns, and narrative work to help people tell their story in new ways. Mara emphasizes a holistic view of each person.
That means she helps clients connect with social supports and community resources when those are needed. Her style is compassionate and direct, combining active listening with interactive guidance. Sessions focus on problem-solving and real-life tools.
For example, she may work with someone to break down a stressful situation into concrete steps or practice mindfulness to manage anxiety. She partners with people to set short-term goals and track progress in simple ways. Many clients come for life transitions, caregiving stress, chronic illness, or issues like abandonment and commitment.
Mara also has experience supporting people navigating divorce, blended family concerns, substance use, and aging-related challenges. She encourages steady change and practical supports over time.
Mara lists 5 ways of working on the entry:
What Mara works with
The areas below are the ones Mara selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intellectual disability
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 22 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | New York |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
Therapeutic approaches and online options
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and identifying a person's strengths so goals can be set together; it is helpful for stress, relationship issues, and building confidence. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) targets the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and is useful for anxiety, depression, and behavior change. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple awareness practices to reduce reactivity and steady attention for everyday stress and mood challenges.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and preferences and will adapt methods as the work progresses. This is a collaborative process where clients help decide which tools and strategies feel most useful.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which let people fit therapy into busy lives. Video sessions approximate face-to-face conversation, phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat works for brief check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to schedule around work, caregiving, or health constraints while keeping therapy consistent and practical.
Start online instead of waiting
Our partner service asks a few questions about what you are looking for and matches you with a therapist for sessions from home.
Book with MaraWe will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you.
Common questions
What kinds of concerns does Mara help with?
What is her general therapy style?
How much experience does she have?
What credentials and location are listed?
Which languages are sessions offered in?
What session formats are available?
How does cost work for sessions?
How do I begin working with her?
A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you. Entries are not assessed or endorsed by this directory.
Other entries for stress, anxiety
Supportive LCSW helping people build strength and clarity
Practical, trauma-aware therapy for everyday life
Practical, relational therapy for life transitions