- Strength-focused support
- Short manageable steps
- Metaphor driven
About Jonathan
Jonathan 'Riley' Murdock is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who focuses on helping people untangle patterns that leave them stuck. He aims to be fully in a client's corner, offering steady, nonjudgmental support while people take small steps toward change. His style is direct and visual, using metaphors to make ideas easier to grasp and remember.
Riley frames change as gradual and tangible. He compares emotional growth to building a muscle - short, manageable challenges followed by recovery. That approach guides how he sets goals and paces progress for stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and codependency concerns.
He blends client-centered work with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. Motivational Interviewing is used to clarify choices and commit to action. Narrative Therapy helps reframe difficult life stories so they feel less defining.
Riley draws on four years of formal experience as a clinician and a longer history as a social worker. He speaks plainly about trauma, shame, and self-sabotage and offers practical steps rather than jargon. He also notes lived experience with ups and downs, which he mentions to normalize struggle.
People who prefer a conversational, metaphor-rich approach and want a therapist who focuses on concrete, achievable steps may find his way of working useful. He accepts international clients and offers sessions from Idaho. If a reader wants to move forward, they are invited to follow the site's process to match and schedule a first session.
How his approaches translate to online therapy
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the client's lead, which helps build trust and clarify what matters most. This approach supports people who need steady, nonjudgmental backing while they make changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behavior and gives simple exercises to test new ways of thinking and acting; it is useful for anxiety, depression, and patterns like self-sabotage. Mindfulness Therapy teaches attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve awareness, which can help with stress, sleep, and emotion regulation.Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work. Riley works collaboratively to identify what fits each person’s needs, goals, and preferences. He often begins with small, practical steps and adjusts the plan as progress is made so the person stays in control of pacing and focus.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around work or family life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when a full session isn’t needed. It can also let a person choose a setting where they can concentrate better, use lower bandwidth options when needed, or schedule around busy days.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
4+ years
Credentials
Idaho
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Riley commonly help with?
He helps people address stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, trauma and codependency among other concerns listed in his profile.
What kind of therapy style can I expect?
He uses a conversational, client-centered style that is visual and metaphor-rich, paired with practical tools from CBT, mindfulness, motivational interviewing and narrative approaches.
What is his clinical background?
He has four years of clinical experience and a longer history working as a social worker, which he uses to inform a strengths-based approach.
Where is he based and what credential does he hold?
He is located in Idaho and holds the credential LCSW, listed in his profile.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English and he accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.