Mary Guzman
With over 25 years of experience, I support caregivers, older adults (65+), veterans, and families facing dementia, aging, chronic illness, and end-of-life transitions. Licensed in Arizona and Hawaii, I provide a calm, compassionate space to breathe, process, and reconnect with yourself while learning practical coping skills.
With over 25 years of experience, I support caregivers, older adults (65+), veterans, and families facing dementia, aging, chronic illness, and end-of-life transitions.
I use evidence-based approaches to foster resilience, clarity, and steadiness during life’s complex seasons.
First session
Our first session is a chance to get to know each other and begin building trust. You’ll have space to share what’s bringing you in, and I’ll ask questions to understand your history, strengths, and current challenges. We’ll identify priorities and discuss practical coping strategies. Clients often leave feeling understood, grounded, and clear about next steps. My approach emphasizes collaboration and practical strategies, helping clients manage challenges, improve coping skills, and increase confidence in their ability to navigate life transitions.
Strengths
I build strong, trusting relationships with clients by creating a warm, nonjudgmental space where they feel heard and supported. I combine evidence-based methods—like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and strengths-based approaches—with a compassionate, humanistic style. I focus on helping clients recognize their own resources and resilience, set achievable goals, and make meaningful, lasting changes.
Ideal clients
I’m best positioned to work with veterans, caregivers, and individuals navigating grief, burnout, or the emotional impact of aging and progressive or chronic illnesses. Many of the clients I support feel overwhelmed, isolated, or unsure how to cope with ongoing changes in their lives. They may be carrying a great deal of responsibility, loss, or uncertainty while trying to stay strong for others. I work well with clients who are seeking a supportive, grounded space to process complex emotions, make sense of difficult transitions, and develop sustainable ways to care for themselves alongside their responsibilities. Therapy with me is especially well-suited for those who want help managing stress, coping with loss, adjusting to life-altering diagnoses or roles, and reconnecting with meaning, resilience, and self-compassion during challenges of later life.
Treatment methods
Strength-Based
I use a strengths-based approach by focusing on clients’ existing abilities, resources, and past successes to support change. In practice, I help clients identify strengths they may overlook and incorporate these into goal-setting and treatment planning. This approach promotes empowerment, motivation, and a collaborative therapeutic relationship while still addressing areas of concern.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress. In practice, I collaborate with clients to set clear goals, develop coping strategies, and practice skills such as cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and problem-solving. CBT allows me to provide structured, evidence-based interventions while supporting clients in building practical tools they can use outside of sessions.
Compassion Focused
I use a compassion-focused approach to help clients develop self-compassion, reduce shame and self-criticism, and improve emotional regulation. In practice, I support clients in understanding how their inner experiences developed, while teaching skills such as compassionate self-talk, mindfulness, and soothing strategies. This approach helps clients build emotional safety and resilience while working toward meaningful change.
Humanistic
I use a humanistic approach by focusing on empathy, authenticity, and consistent acceptance and respect in the therapeutic relationship. I work to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard, understood, and supported. This allows clients to explore their experiences, values, and goals at their own pace, building self-awareness, confidence, and meaningful, client-driven change.
Motivational Interviewing
I use motivational interviewing to help clients talk through mixed feelings about change and find their own reasons for wanting something different. I focus on listening closely, asking open questions, and supporting clients without pressure or judgment. This approach helps clients feel more confident, motivated, and in control of their next steps.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Woman
Top specialties
Life Transitions
Military/Veterans
Older Adults
Other specialties
Anxiety
Coping Skills
Couples Counseling
Family Conflict
Grief
Health/Medical Issues
Serves
Adults (18 to 64)
Couples Counseling
Elders (65 and above)
Individual Therapy
Licensed in
ArizonaLicense LCSW-17508
HawaiiLicense LCSW-3548