- 30 years experience
- Focus on coping
- Nonjudgmental support
About Valerie
Valerie Johnson-Cardoso is a licensed mental health counselor with 30 years of experience. She focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, relationship pain, grief, and issues tied to identity and intimacy. Valerie aims to make sessions feel calm and steady so people can talk openly about what matters to them.
She has worked in Florida and Pennsylvania in residential mental health and substance abuse settings. She also spent 16 years as a school teacher supporting students with learning differences, autism, and emotional challenges. During that time she ran a independent practice in the evenings and weekends, seeing people of many ages.
Valerie uses practical, down-to-earth methods and adjusts them to each person. She believes teamwork between therapist and client matters most. Small changes in daily habits or how people respond to stress often lead to bigger improvements over time.
Her work includes supporting people with trauma and abuse, addictions, LGBT issues, parenting challenges, ADHD, and grief, among other concerns. She also has knowledge of religious trauma syndrome and faith transitions and is open to talking about those topics.
Clients can expect a steady, nonjudgmental atmosphere where building trust is a priority. Valerie aims to help people quiet a harsh inner critic and find clearer ways to cope as life changes unfold.
She has worked in Florida and Pennsylvania in residential mental health and substance abuse settings. She also spent 16 years as a school teacher supporting students with learning differences, autism, and emotional challenges. During that time she ran a independent practice in the evenings and weekends, seeing people of many ages.
Valerie uses practical, down-to-earth methods and adjusts them to each person. She believes teamwork between therapist and client matters most. Small changes in daily habits or how people respond to stress often lead to bigger improvements over time.
Her work includes supporting people with trauma and abuse, addictions, LGBT issues, parenting challenges, ADHD, and grief, among other concerns. She also has knowledge of religious trauma syndrome and faith transitions and is open to talking about those topics.
Clients can expect a steady, nonjudgmental atmosphere where building trust is a priority. Valerie aims to help people quiet a harsh inner critic and find clearer ways to cope as life changes unfold.
How Valerie blends proven approaches for online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on clarifying values and taking small steps toward them while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. It is useful for anxiety, stress, and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect and teaches clear techniques to change unhelpful patterns. It helps with anxiety, depression, and many day-to-day problems. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a listening, understanding stance from the therapist so a person can explore feelings at their own pace and build self-trust.Finding the best approach is collaborative. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they will try methods that fit the person's needs and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life. It can reduce travel time, allow appointments during a lunch break, and let someone meet from a quieter spot without needing to be on camera the whole time. Because the exact session formats are not listed in the biography, confirm available options before booking to see what will work best for scheduling and comfort.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Family conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyHypnotherapyImago Relationship TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems
Experience
30+ years
Credentials
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Valerie address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy concerns, eating issues, parenting stress, ADHD, bipolar concerns, and many related topics listed in her profile.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Valerie uses practical, client-centered work that adapts to each person. She focuses on teamwork, helping people try small changes and track what helps.
How much experience does she bring?
She has worked as a mental health counselor for 30 years in Florida and Pennsylvania, including residential settings and independent practice.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor - LMHC - and practices from Florida while having past work history in Pennsylvania.
In which languages can sessions be held?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She accepts international clients, so people outside the United States can be matched to her through the site process.
How does scheduling and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Valerie?
Click the continue button on this profile, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.