- Stress and anxiety
- Relationship support
- Trauma and abuse
About Mary
Mary Leonardo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Registered (LCSW-R) practicing in New York with 26 years of experience. She helps people who are facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain, family concerns, trauma and abuse, and low self-esteem. She works with teens and adults to address these struggles and practical life changes.
Mary draws on long experience in private practice, school social work, and substance use treatment. She pays attention to how relationships and life events affect a person. Sessions focus on what matters most to the client and on steps that can make a concrete difference in everyday life.
Her style is collaborative and strengths-based. That means identifying the person’s resources and building on them, rather than applying a single method to everyone. She adapts techniques to match a person’s goals and what feels useful week to week.
Typical topics include coping with anxiety, managing stress, handling relationship or family conflicts, addressing trauma histories, and working on self-esteem. She also supports people dealing with attachment questions, codependency, substance use issues, eating-related concerns, grief, and major life transitions.
Mary’s background includes more than two decades as a school social worker and extensive work in substance use treatment. That experience informs practical strategies for communication, boundary setting, and relapse prevention when relevant. Clients leave sessions with clear, manageable steps to try between meetings.
Approach and what to expect from online sessions
Mary uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques and adapts them to the person’s needs. One common approach she uses is cognitive-behavioral style work, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce anxiety and improve coping. Another common technique emphasizes relational and attachment-informed work, helping people understand how past relationships shape current patterns and teaching clearer communication and boundaries.Finding the right combination of techniques is part of the process. She works together with each person to decide which approaches match their goals, strengths, and day-to-day life. That collaborative planning helps shape session focus and homework between meetings.
Confirm the current session options before booking so you know the exact online formats offered. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and allow short check-ins when a full in-person visit is hard to arrange. Therapists and licensed professionals commonly use online sessions to keep momentum between appointments and to practice new skills in the environment where challenges occur.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
26+ years
Listed in
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family matters, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem. Additional focus areas include substance use, codependency, attachment, and life transitions.
What is her therapeutic approach like?
The approach is collaborative and strengths-based, meaning she looks for practical strengths to build on and adapts methods to each person. Work centers on concrete steps and what feels useful in daily life.
How much experience does she have?
She has 26 years of clinical experience, plus long-term roles in school social work and substance use treatment that inform her practice.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She holds the NY LCSW-R credential and practices in New York.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
How are costs handled?
Fees vary by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.