Mara Chiles, LCSW

Mara Chiles is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in New York who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, and addiction concerns. She also supports people facing parenting challenges, caregiver stress, career strain, and issues related to aging parents. Her approach aims to make daily life easier and more manageable. With 22 years of experience, Mara draws on a mix of direct listening and practical problem-solving. Sessions focus on identifying strengths, setting clear goals, and developing everyday habits that fit each person's life. She often combines cognitive-behavioral ideas with psychodynamic perspectives to understand patterns that keep people stuck. Mara emphasizes a whole-person view. That means looking at thoughts, routines, and relationships together. She also helps link clients to community supports and services when extra resources are needed. Her style is interactive and compassionate. She listens closely, asks clear questions, and works with people to create realistic steps forward. The work can include skill-building, reframing unhelpful thoughts, and planning small behavior changes that add up over time. People seeking help for issues like trauma, self-esteem, communication problems, or substance concerns can expect practical guidance alongside reflective conversation. Mara aims to empower people to make changes that last, recognizing that progress often comes in small, steady steps.

Approaches that shape online work and daily habits

Mara commonly draws on Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening deeply and following the client's pace, helping people feel heard as they identify their own goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at thoughts and behaviors and teaches practical tools to change unhelpful thinking and routines, which can help with anxiety, depression, and stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the work itself. The therapist will help figure out which methods fit best by talking about needs, goals, and what feels comfortable. That makes the process collaborative rather than one-size-fits-all.

Confirm the current online session options before booking, since the biography does not list specific formats. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when time is tight, and reduce travel time. It also makes it possible to keep therapy consistent during life transitions or when attending to caregiving and work responsibilities. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework to the online setting so people can practice new habits between sessions.