MaryKay Schultz
I am a licensed clinical social worker supporting children, adults, couples, and families through anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, addiction, relationship strain, ADHD, mood disorders, and the emotional impact of chronic or complex medical issues. I offer telehealth care and am licensed in Missouri, Texas, and New Jersey. I am warm, steady, and down-to-earth. I want therapy to feel safe and collaborative, not stiff or clinical for its own sake. My work is practical and client-centered: we use what helps you most, including evidence-based therapy, family and school-based skills, 12-step support when addiction is part of the picture, and biblical counseling if that is your preference. My experience includes schools, hospitals, emergency rooms, homes, inpatient and outpatient programs, and community crisis work. I have built programs, supervised students and staff, and trained youth volunteers for a suicide hotline. Those settings showed me how quickly life can change, and how much strength people can find when they are not facing it alone. I am especially committed to clients who feel dismissed by systems—healthcare, housing, or the justice system—and I stay with the work until there is a clearer, more stable path forward.
First session
My first session is the biopsychosocial assessment. You will describe your reason for coming but I will also ask you a lot of questions and gather a broad picture of what is happening with you. Some of these questions will be about your history, family and any important events or people in your life. We will use this discussion to put together your treatment plan. After our first session, when we get into therapy, you should expect to feel heard and to have a clearer sense of what we are working on. We will talk through what brought you in, what matters most right now, and what support will help.
Strengths
I try to offer a tailored warm and practical approach. I bring my background in school settings, hospitals, detox and substance abuse, crisis, and family experience into the room, and I work with the whole picture—emotions, relationships, health, and the systems around you—until there is a clearer path forward.
Ideal clients
Many times people come to me when life feels heavier than they can manage on their own. This might include anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship strain, addiction, ADHD, medical stress, family conflict, and bullying and other school issues. I have worked in some capacity with the mental health field since the 1980's and have an extensive background with substance abuse issues. I developed the curriculum for a county youth program when we merged the county partial care program into the county special services school. I work with families and couples. I also worked with the military. I see many clients who have some form of auto immune issue and help with the impact on their mental health. I'd love to work with you if you are willing to put in the time and effort that the therapeutic process presents.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Sometimes CBT can be very helpful with developing more awareness with regards to thoughts, feelings and patterns with regards to behaviors a person may want to change. Once a person becomes more aware of the pattern, they can make a more conscious choice instead of reacting or freezing.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
DBT involves developing skills for different types of anxiety issues a person may be experiencing. There are 4 skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Depending upon what you are experiencing, we will work together to help you overcome anxiety in a way that you feel good about.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Licensed in
- MissouriLicense 2014029933
- New JerseyLicense 44SC05564900
- TexasLicense 108979