Practitioner record · Checked 9 Oct 2026
Mary Leonardo has been in practice 26 years and is licensed in New York. Mary lists stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and family conflicts among 24 subjects on the BetterHelp roster.
Everything below is either quoted from Mary's own BetterHelp listing, taken from public licensing records, or written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such. Nothing here is an availability promise, a review, or a rating.
01 · Who Mary works with
Mary lists 5 specialisms and 19 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Mary chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.
02 · In Mary's own words
Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, substance use, relationship challenges, grief, or life transitions, therapy can help you find a way forward. With over 25 years in private practice, 20+ years as a school social worker, and 30 years in substance use treatment, I work with teens and adults to create meaningful change. I believe good therapy begins with feeling understood. My approach is warm, collaborative, and strengths-based, with a focus on what matters most to you and what will make a meaningful difference in your life. I take a collaborative, strengths-based approach, viewing each person within the context of their relationships and life experiences. I don’t believe therapy is one-size-fits-all. I tailor our work to you, drawing from different approaches based on your needs, strengths, goals, and what feels most useful in your everyday life. Taking the first step toward therapy can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face life’s challenges alone. I am committed to providing a safe, compassionate, and culturally responsive space where you can feel heard, understood, and empowered. If you feel ready to begin this journey, I invite you to reach out or schedule a consultation
Mary Leonardo, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026
03 · What happens next
Mary practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Mary's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.
BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Mary at this point.
BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Mary is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Mary.
You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.
A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.
Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.
04 · Before you commit
Built from what Mary actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Mary's - Mary has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.
“How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”
Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.
“With 26 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”
Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.
“How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”
On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.
05 · Practical details
06 · Provenance
Mary's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.
The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.
Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Mary. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.
Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.
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