Mary Buntin , LCSW

Mary Buntin, LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), is a Virginia-based therapist with 40 years of professional experience supporting adults through loss, life transitions, and emotional challenges. She has worked extensively with people coping with grief, depression, and major life changes, offering steady guidance for those navigating the movement into later life and the practical and emotional shifts that retirement can bring.

Mary has a particular interest in assisting caregivers who support loved ones with degenerative illness, and she brings experience addressing compassion fatigue that can arise from sustained caregiving responsibilities. Her practice also attends to concerns such as chronic pain, illness, disability, isolation, and the emotional impacts of midlife transitions.

Grounded in a strengths-focused approach, Mary helps clients identify positive qualities and practical resources to face challenges. She emphasizes the importance of the relationship a person has with themselves and works to empower individuals as they take steps toward greater well-being. Seeking change can require courage, and Mary provides supportive, encouraging care throughout that journey.

Evidence-Based Support and Flexible Online Care

Mary Buntin draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques that emphasize practical coping and emotional processing. One focus is skills-based coping work, which helps clients learn and practice concrete strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and the day-to-day impacts of chronic illness or caregiving responsibilities. Another area of emphasis is grief-focused and transition-oriented support, which helps people explore meaning, navigate loss, and adapt to major life changes such as retirement or role shifts within the family.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and Mary works collaboratively with each person to determine which techniques best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She supports clients in experimenting with strategies and refining a plan that feels helpful and sustainable.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility for those balancing caregiving, health concerns, or busy schedules. Through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, clients can connect in ways that fit their routines and energy levels, making it easier to maintain continuity of care and access support when it is needed.