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LISW, CSW-PIP

Mary Ruhland, LISW, CSW-PIP

  • Experience30 years
  • LocationIowa
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, and Grief
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Client-Centered Therapy
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About Mary

Mary Ruhland is a licensed social worker in Iowa who brings 30 years of clinical experience to her practice.

Background and approach

She weaves Internal Family Systems (IFS) ideas into a compassionate, individualized approach, helping clients examine internal parts and their roles while also using practical strategies from client-centered care and cognitive behavioral techniques. Her work commonly addresses depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and self-esteem concerns, as well as addictions and intimacy-related struggles.

Mary often supports people facing relationship strain, social isolation, life transitions, and challenges such as panic attacks, body image issues, or midlife changes. She aims to create a collaborative environment that fosters resilience, clearer communication, and renewed self-compassion.

With credentials LISW and CSW-PIP, she emphasizes tailored plans that combine emotion-focused exploration with skills-based coping tools to help clients move toward meaningful change.

Integrating inner work and practical skills online

Mary draws on Internal Family Systems to help clients notice and relate differently to internal parts, offering a way to understand patterns tied to trauma, shame, or self-criticism. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy to create an empathic, nonjudgmental space where the person’s values and goals guide the process, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and develop concrete coping strategies for anxiety, panic, mood disorders, and behavior change.

Choosing the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to explore which methods feel most useful, adapting tools and pacing to match individual goals, comfort, and progress rather than adhering rigidly to one model.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access. These options make it possible to maintain continuity through life transitions, manage scheduling constraints, and engage in shorter check-ins or longer therapeutic sessions as needed, while allowing licensed professionals to tailor interventions across formats.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Mary address?
She works with a range of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, addictions, and intimacy-related problems, plus related areas like attachment issues and panic disorder.
What is her therapeutic style and approach?
The practice blends Internal Family Systems with client-centered and cognitive behavioral strategies, along with elements from DBT and emotionally-focused work to balance internal exploration and practical skills.
How much clinical experience does she bring?
Mary has thirty years of experience providing mental health care and developing individualized treatment plans for diverse emotional and relational challenges.
What credentials and location are listed for this therapist?
She holds LISW and CSW-PIP credentials with license identifiers IA LISW 01284 and SD CSW-PIP 3229 and practices in Iowa.
Which languages does she offer services in and can international clients join?
Services are offered in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.
In what session formats can clients meet with her?
Sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different needs and preferences.
How are costs and billing handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in getting started?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling based on therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteemDepression

Also works with

AddictionsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersAnger managementCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesBody imageCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersPanic disorder and panic attacksPost-traumatic stressSelf-loveSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

30+ years

Licensed

Iowa, South Dakota

Languages

English