- Kind but direct
- Practical coping skills
- Collaborative goal setting
About Valarie
Valarie Johnson is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with three decades of counseling experience. She has worked in many settings and has supported people through anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, and major life changes. Valarie aims to combine steady support with clear guidance so people can take the next step forward.
Her style is often described as kind but direct. She listens closely and offers practical ways to cope with stress and overwhelming feelings. She also asks the questions that push people toward change when they are ready.
Valarie draws from client-centered work, cognitive behavioral ideas, psychodynamic thinking, and solution-focused practices. In sessions she helps people identify patterns, test new behaviors, and build skills to manage mood and stress. She can include faith-based perspectives when that is helpful and desired by the person she is working with.
She has experience supporting people through grief, caregiving strain, relationship difficulties, parenting challenges, codependency, and life transitions. Her background also includes work with abandonment, adoption and foster care concerns, and end-of-life and hospice issues.
Valarie practices in Washington and brings practical tools as well as space to talk through deep feelings. She prefers a collaborative approach and will work with each person to create goals they find meaningful.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Valarie relies on several approachable methods when helping people cope and change. Client-centered work focuses on listening with empathy and following the person’s priorities, which helps people feel heard and understood. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns; it can be useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Valarie will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. She will then suggest ways to combine methods so sessions match what the person needs and wants, and she treats that decision as collaborative.
If you are considering online therapy, check with the therapist about the current session formats before booking, since those details were not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, shorten travel time, allow a quick check-in during a break, or let someone use a device that has better connectivity. Many people find online sessions let them keep therapy consistent across life changes while still focusing on practical skills and meaningful conversation.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Credentials
Washington
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Valarie commonly address?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, relationship and parenting challenges, codependency, addictions, and related mood concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is warm and straightforward. She listens closely, offers practical strategies, and challenges clients gently to take steps toward change.
What is her background and experience?
Valarie has about 30 years of experience as a clinical social worker and has worked in a wide range of counseling settings, including overseas work with expats and indigenous communities.
What credentials and location are listed for Valarie?
She holds a LICSW, with licensure in Washington where she practices.
Which languages are supported and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
Session formats were not specified in the provided biography; please confirm current session options with the therapist before booking.
How does billing or cost work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Valarie?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions 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.