Ilene Vallance, LMSW

Ilene Vallance, LMSW, has spent more than three decades helping people work through emotional pain and life transitions. She is a licensed master social worker in Michigan and draws on long experience in both public and independent mental health settings. Ilene speaks plainly and listens carefully to understand what matters to each person she meets.

Ilene aims for a relaxed, nonjudgmental style in sessions. She focuses on clear communication and practical skills that people can use between meetings. Her approach often includes mindfulness and strategies that challenge unhelpful thinking while teaching new ways to manage strong emotions.

Clients bring many kinds of concerns, including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, parenting challenges, sleep problems, and career stress. Ilene also works with people facing trauma, chronic illness, caregiver stress, and compassion fatigue. Jealousy is one of the relationship-related issues she lists among her focus areas.

Her toolbox includes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior ideas, client-centered work, and mindfulness practices. Sessions aim to identify small, doable changes and build skills that fit a person's everyday life. Ilene also uses motivational interviewing to support difficult decisions and shifts in behavior.

Ilene offers flexible scheduling Monday through Thursday with some Saturday openings. She invites prospective clients to review her schedule and choose an appointment time or ask for accommodations. Starting a conversation is the first step toward practical, steady change.

Therapeutic approaches that guide online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on clarifying personal values and taking committed steps toward them. It helps when worry or avoidance gets in the way of living a meaningful life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact and teaches practical tools to change patterns that cause distress. These techniques are often used for anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals and preferences. That means trying techniques, checking what helps, and adjusting the plan together over time.

The profile does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It can also make it simpler to continue work between in-person visits and practice skills in real-life settings.