Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten

Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten is a Michigan licensed social worker who helps people coping with trauma and abuse, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, caregiving stress, and self-esteem concerns. She supports those facing life changes, grief, intimacy issues, sleep problems, and compassion fatigue. She is an LGBTQ+ ally and pays attention to cultural factors that affect care.

Marisela uses a straightforward, respectful style in sessions. She listens first and tailors conversations and plans to each person's needs. Clients can expect practical tools alongside time to talk through painful memories and current worries. She aims to empower people to make changes that matter to them.

Her clinical approach draws on Trauma-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Client-Centered Therapy, with additional techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy as needed. This mix allows work on painful past experiences, present coping skills, and values-driven goals.

Marisela has ten years of direct individual therapy experience and three decades of broader professional work. She has helped people dealing with chronic illness, caregiver burnout, dementia-related family stress, and mood disorders. Sessions are shaped to match each person’s pace and priorities.

People who choose her can expect clear communication and practical steps between sessions. She emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and collaboration while helping clients move toward a more fulfilling life.

How her approaches work for online care

Trauma-Focused Therapy helps people process and reduce the hold of painful memories by focusing on the trauma and how it affects current life. It can help when past events continue to cause fear, avoidance, or distress.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, emphasizes clarifying what matters to you and taking small steps toward those values while learning to live with difficult feelings. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with chronic stress or illness.

Client-Centered Therapy centers on listening without judgment and following the client's lead. It creates space to talk about identity, relationships, and decisions while building self-understanding and confidence.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Marisela will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She adapts techniques over time based on how a person responds.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and offer alternatives for those who find in-person visits difficult. Licensed professionals can help choose the best format for practical needs and scheduling.