Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten, LMSW - Therapist in Michigan

Trauma and abuse
Depression and bipolar
Stress and anxiety

About Marisela

Marisela Cuellar-VanHouten is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) practicing in Michigan with ten years of direct experience providing individual therapy. She helps people facing trauma and abuse, depression, bipolar disorder, caregiver burnout, chronic illness and pain, and issues with motivation, self-esteem, and confidence. She identifies as an LGBTQ+ ally and notes the importance of culture in treatment.

Marisela works in a straightforward, respectful way. She listens first, then offers practical steps people can try between sessions. Sessions focus on what feels most urgent - managing mood, reducing stress, or handling grief - and on skills that make daily life easier. She uses a mix of approaches to fit the person's needs rather than one fixed method.

Her background includes broader professional experience beyond individual therapy, and she brings that perspective into short-term problem solving and longer-term support. She uses techniques from acceptance and commitment work to help people name values and take small steps toward them. Cognitive behavioral strategies are used to help change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns.

Mindfulness practices and skills from dialectical behavior work appear when emotional regulation or intense reactions interfere with daily life. Marisela emphasizes practical tools for sleeping, managing anger, and improving relationships. She adapts conversation and exercises to reflect each person's culture and life situation.

For people who are juggling work, study, caregiving, or health issues, she aims to make therapy concrete and usable. Before a first session clients are asked to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule an initial meeting.

Therapeutic approaches and online sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes identifying what matters to a person and taking small, values-based steps even when feelings are difficult. It can help with feeling stuck after school or work and with decisions about career and relationships.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It offers concrete tools to change negative thinking patterns and to build routines that improve sleep, mood, and daily functioning.

Finding the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist will work with the client to try techniques, notice what helps, and adjust methods based on goals and preferences. That means plans can shift as needs become clearer over time.

The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Different ways of meeting also let people choose options that suit their energy, bandwidth, and daily routine rather than having to rearrange major commitments.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Trauma and abuseParenting issuesBipolar disorderDepression Coping with life changes

Also works with

Stress, Anxiety LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGrief Intimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issues Communication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgiveness Guilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivity Infidelity Isolation / loneliness Jealousy Men's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disorders Multicultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stress Prejudice and discrimination Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaWomen's issues Workplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

10+ years

Listed in

Michigan

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address for young adults?

She works with trauma and abuse, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, career and relationship concerns among other issues relevant to people in early adulthood.

How would she describe her therapy style?

Her style is direct and practical. She listens, helps set priorities, and teaches skills to manage mood, stress, sleep, and relationships.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has ten years of experience providing individual therapy, with additional professional work outside of direct individual therapy.

What credential does she hold and where does she practice?

She is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) practicing in Michigan.

Can I have sessions in a language other than English?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

Confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.

How are costs handled?

Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.

Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.