- Grief and loss
- Caregiver stress
- Guilt and shame
About Mary
Mary Buntin is a Virginia-licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 40 years of professional experience. She works with people who are managing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and life transitions. Mary also focuses on compassion fatigue, aging and geriatric issues, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, forgiveness, guilt and shame, isolation, midlife changes, and building self-love.
She talks plainly about what is happening now and what feels hard. She helps clients identify strengths and positive traits they can use when things get difficult. Sessions center on practical steps and clearer thinking rather than jargon. Mary encourages clients to take small, concrete steps that fit their daily life.
Much of her background includes long-term practice with adults facing losses and changing roles. She has worked with people approaching retirement and with caregivers managing chronic or degenerative illness. That decades-long experience informs how she notices patterns and suggests manageable adjustments.
Mary emphasizes the relationship a person has with themself and works to make that relationship more reliable. She listens for where guilt or shame might be getting in the way and helps people name those feelings. Together they look for strengths to counteract self-criticism and isolation.
Her approach is steady and practical. She asks questions that help clarify goals and then helps design steps toward them. For anyone who wants to address grief, life change, or ongoing stress, she offers direct support and experience-based guidance.
Therapeutic techniques and online care
Mary uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques focused on practical change. One common approach she uses is problem-focused work that helps people break problems into small, manageable steps and practice new behaviors. This kind of work is useful for coping with anxiety, stress, and life transitions.Another approach is strengths-based work that identifies personal resources and builds on them. That method helps when guilt, shame, or low self-regard are making decisions harder. It aims to increase actions that reflect a person’s values and abilities.
Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. Mary will talk with each person about what feels most useful and try methods that match the person’s goals and preferences. She adjusts the plan based on what the client notices is helpful.
Session logistics should be confirmed before booking because the biography does not list specific formats. Many people find online sessions easier to fit into a workday, reduce travel time, or allow shorter check-ins when needed. Ask about the available formats and scheduling options so sessions can fit into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Experience
40+ years
Listed in
Virginia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
Mary works with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, compassion fatigue, and coping with life changes. She also focuses on aging issues, caregiver stress, chronic illness, forgiveness, guilt and shame, isolation, midlife crisis, and self-love.
How does she approach feelings of guilt or shame?
She listens for how guilt or shame shows up and helps name those feelings. Then she works with clients to locate strengths and practical steps to reduce self-criticism and isolation.
How much experience does she have?
She has 40 years of professional work experience, including long-term practice with adults facing loss, retirement, and caregiving roles.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
Mary holds the LCSW credential and is licensed in Virginia. Her practice and background are based in that state.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are used?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled and how do I begin?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To start, select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.