Mary Michelle Corso-Maina

I’m originally from CT. I’ve been an LCSW since 2015. I received my graduate degree in Clinical Social Work from Fordham University in May, 2005. Once graduated, I worked in behavioral health hospital social work. I worked as an Evaluator at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Westchester Division for 10.5 years before moving out to Elko, NV in 2017. I helped start up a Community behavioral health Clinic and worked there as a therapist. I transferred to Carson City to help the same company open up a clinic there. I worked for the inpatient side and partial hospital program at Reno Behavioral Health before venturing into my own private practice. I have been contracting as an independent therapist since 2020 and began working for Ideal Mental Health in August of 2024. I’ve been a Clinical supervisor to different levels of social work interns and other counseling fields. I work with clients age-5 and up.

Fun Fact: I'm the youngest of nine children.

I've spent many years evaluating and observing people. What I've found is that many of their symptoms, anxiety, depression, substance abuse or other addiction issues, etc. usually stem from one or more traumatic experiences they've had. I define a traumatic experience as any event in a person's life that causes one to make a person feel unsafe. What happens next is that even if people don't remember in their mind, their bodies usually do and this causes a person to feel unsafe no matter where they are.

I can help process these thoughts and feelings with you and teach you skills to manage the difficult times. I use a strengths-based, trauma informed care approach to help you see the best in yourself, which is how I choose to see the people I work with. I use Cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing and Acceptance commitment therapy. I'm also in the process of completing training in complex trauma treatment.

I have a good sense of humor and feel laughter is great medicine. I am extremely sensitive to situations and observant to the needs of my clients.

In the first session there isn't much therapy. I get information through question and answer format to be able to make an assessment and understand what you're coming in for. If you're not sure, I can use this time to help you figure this out. There are times when people just need to talk and "let it out". If this is the case, I let the client talk and actively listen.