Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten, LMSW
Compassionate guidance for life’s hard moments
Details
| Name | Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LMSW |
| Based in | Michigan |
| Licensed in | Michigan |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 10 |
About Marisela
Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten is a licensed social worker in Michigan who focuses on helping people facing trauma, depression, anxiety, bipolar challenges, and caregiver stress. She listens with respect and works to build confidence and motivation. She also supports people dealing with grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, sleep problems, anger, and self-esteem struggles.
Her sessions are collaborative and conversational. She adapts the pace and tone to each person and shapes the plan around practical goals.
Background and approach
She names strengths and looks for steps people can try between meetings. Marisela uses Narrative approaches along with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Client-Centered methods to help people reframe difficult stories and find values-based direction. She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavior ideas to teach coping skills and emotional regulation.
These methods are mixed to fit what someone needs in the moment. She brings ten years of direct therapy experience and emphasizes cultural awareness and LGBTQ+ allyship in her work. Her Michigan practice includes support for those managing chronic illness, caregiver burnout, and challenges linked to aging and dementia concerns.
Marisela aims to create a steady, respectful space where people can try new ways of coping and making choices. People who choose therapy with her typically start by naming immediate problems and then move toward daily strategies and clearer priorities. She encourages small, manageable changes that build confidence over time.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Trauma and abuse, Parenting issues, Bipolar disorder among the things Marisela works with, alongside the areas below.
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trichotillomania
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Marisela among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Marisela among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Marisela among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Marisela among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Marisela among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Marisela among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Marisela among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Marisela among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Marisela directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Marisela directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How approach and online formats work together
Marisela blends Narrative Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people change how they understand their problems and act on what matters most. Narrative Therapy makes it possible to retell painful stories so they feel less defining. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on values and small actions that move someone toward a life they care about.She tailors these approaches with a client-centered stance, which means the work is guided by each person's goals and preferences. Deciding which method to emphasize is a collaborative process. The therapist and client check in and adjust as the work unfolds so the approach fits changing needs.
Online therapy formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions let people use visual cues and a fuller conversation, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is low or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging support brief check-ins, skill practice, or ongoing coaching between full sessions. These options make it easier to schedule work around caregiving, work hours, or travel, and they let people try different formats until they find what feels most useful.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does she help with?
She supports people with trauma and abuse, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, grief, caregiver stress, relationship and intimacy issues, sleep problems, anger, self-esteem, ADHD, and related challenges.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is collaborative and conversational. She listens first, then helps people try practical steps and build on what already works in their lives.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has ten years of experience providing individual therapy and a longer professional background in related work settings.
What credential does she hold and where is she located?
She holds an LMSW, which is a Licensed Master Social Worker, and practices in Michigan.
Can sessions be held in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Which session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to match different needs and schedules.
How are fees and payment handled?
Costs vary by location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin therapy?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Marisela are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Marisela where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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