- Warm collaborative care
- Practical coping skills
- Mindfulness and action
About Valerie
Valerie Rutherford is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) based in Ohio with 18 years of clinical experience. She focuses on everyday struggles like anxiety, depression, parenting stress, and relationship concerns. Valerie aims to make reaching out feel manageable and supportive for people at different points in life.
Her background spans work with adults, adolescents, and children, as well as couples and families, with a long emphasis on mental health. She uses straightforward, collaborative methods so clients help shape the goals and pace of therapy. Valerie draws on a range of practical techniques rather than a single fixed approach.
In sessions she creates a warm, nonjudgmental space for people to talk through what’s hard. Conversations often include identifying patterns, building coping skills, and practicing new ways of responding to stress. She also addresses concerns such as grief, trauma, addiction, body image, and caregiving strain.
Her toolbox includes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and mindfulness-based strategies. Those methods are used flexibly and tailored to each person’s needs and goals. Valerie describes therapy as a team effort where the client’s preferences guide the work.
If someone wants to begin, the usual next step is to use the site’s Start Therapy flow, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a time that fits. Valerie emphasizes practical changes people can use between sessions to help their daily life.
Her background spans work with adults, adolescents, and children, as well as couples and families, with a long emphasis on mental health. She uses straightforward, collaborative methods so clients help shape the goals and pace of therapy. Valerie draws on a range of practical techniques rather than a single fixed approach.
In sessions she creates a warm, nonjudgmental space for people to talk through what’s hard. Conversations often include identifying patterns, building coping skills, and practicing new ways of responding to stress. She also addresses concerns such as grief, trauma, addiction, body image, and caregiving strain.
Her toolbox includes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and mindfulness-based strategies. Those methods are used flexibly and tailored to each person’s needs and goals. Valerie describes therapy as a team effort where the client’s preferences guide the work.
If someone wants to begin, the usual next step is to use the site’s Start Therapy flow, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a time that fits. Valerie emphasizes practical changes people can use between sessions to help their daily life.
How Valerie’s Approaches Translate to Online Work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to notice difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to actions that reflect their values; it can help with anxiety, low mood, and relationship choices. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and testing new behaviors; it is useful for worry, depression, and stress management. Mindfulness-based strategies teach simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus during daily life.Finding the right approach is part of therapy. Valerie treats this as a collaborative process and will help clients decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. Together they can try techniques, review what works, and adjust the plan over time so sessions feel useful and relevant.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know how she offers care. Online therapy can make it easier to fit work into a busy life by removing travel time and allowing sessions during breaks or between errands. It also supports shorter check-ins when a quick session is more practical, and it lets people use breathing and mindfulness practices in the moment. Speak with the therapist after matching to confirm the session format and plan that best fits everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
18+ years
Credentials
Ohio
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Valerie commonly help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, parenting and relationship concerns, as well as grief, trauma, addiction, eating and body image issues, ADHD, and related struggles.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is collaborative and client-centered, focusing on practical skills and homework you can use between sessions. She blends structured techniques with a warm, nonjudgmental tone.
What kind of experience does she bring?
Valerie has 18 years of experience in mental health work, including hours with adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families on a range of issues.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is an LISW, which stands for Licensed Independent Social Worker, and she practices from Ohio.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working with her?
Use the continue button on this profile, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist’s availability.