- Kind but direct
- Practical coping steps
- Faith-informed option
About Valarie
Valarie Johnson is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) with three decades of counseling experience. She has practiced in varied settings and has spent significant time supporting people through major life changes and difficult transitions.
She offers a straightforward, kind approach in sessions. Her style is direct when needed and encouraging as clients try new ways of coping. She aims to help people make decisions that fit their values and move forward at a realistic pace.
Her work covers stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, addictions, and relationship and parenting concerns. She also addresses issues such as caregiver strain, aging and geriatric questions, adoption and foster care matters, and coping with natural or human-caused disaster.
Valarie combines client-centered conversation with cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic ideas and solution-focused strategies. That mix is used to match the conversation to each person’s needs rather than following a single script. She can include faith-informed counseling when requested and will respect each person's background and wishes.
Clients can expect practical steps alongside longer-term reflection. Sessions often include talking through patterns, testing small changes, and reviewing what worked. Valarie describes her role as coming alongside people as they work toward clearer direction and improved coping.
Approaches you can use in online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and supporting the client's own goals. It helps when someone needs a nonjudgmental space to sort out values and choices and to build confidence.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. It uses short experiments and practical strategies to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and change unhelpful patterns.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about their needs, goals, and preferences and then try methods that fit. This is a collaborative process rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.
Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life. It may reduce travel time, simplify scheduling around work or caregiving, and allow people to meet from familiar surroundings. Specific session formats are not listed here, so please confirm what options are offered before booking. Many people find that remote sessions help maintain consistency while juggling daily responsibilities.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Credentials
Washington
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, addictions, relationship and parenting concerns, and related issues such as caregiver stress and coping with natural or human-caused disaster.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is generally kind but direct. She balances practical steps with reflective conversation and may challenge clients to try new approaches.
How much experience does she have?
She has about 30 years of experience working as a counselor in a range of settings, including extended work overseas with expats and indigenous communities.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds a Washington LICSW and practices from Washington state.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
Current session formats are not specified here; please confirm the available options before booking so you know which formats the therapist offers.
How does payment work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working together?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.