- Practical coping skills
- Calm nonjudgmental space
- Supports faith transition
About Valerie
Valerie Johnson-Cardoso is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with 30 years of experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, career transitions, grief, trauma, and relationship struggles. Valerie aims to create a calm, nonjudgmental space where clients can speak openly and learn practical ways to manage daily life.
She has worked in Florida and Pennsylvania in residential mental health and substance abuse settings. Valerie also spent 16 years as a school teacher supporting students with learning differences, autism, emotional issues, and developmental delays. During that time she ran a private practice in the evenings and weekends, seeing clients of many ages.
Valerie draws on several approaches to tailor work to each person. She uses straightforward, skills-based methods alongside a client-centered stance that values the person's experience. Sessions focus on what will help someone feel steadier and more able to handle change.
She has experience with faith transitions and religious trauma concerns and brings that understanding when those topics arise. Valerie emphasizes teamwork in therapy, helping clients notice small changes that lead to calmer daily life and fewer self-critical thoughts.
Her goal is to build trust and a safe atmosphere for honest conversation. Valerie helps people learn to notice unhelpful inner criticism, act on what they can control, and develop routines and strategies that support clearer thinking and better coping.
She has worked in Florida and Pennsylvania in residential mental health and substance abuse settings. Valerie also spent 16 years as a school teacher supporting students with learning differences, autism, emotional issues, and developmental delays. During that time she ran a private practice in the evenings and weekends, seeing clients of many ages.
Valerie draws on several approaches to tailor work to each person. She uses straightforward, skills-based methods alongside a client-centered stance that values the person's experience. Sessions focus on what will help someone feel steadier and more able to handle change.
She has experience with faith transitions and religious trauma concerns and brings that understanding when those topics arise. Valerie emphasizes teamwork in therapy, helping clients notice small changes that lead to calmer daily life and fewer self-critical thoughts.
Her goal is to build trust and a safe atmosphere for honest conversation. Valerie helps people learn to notice unhelpful inner criticism, act on what they can control, and develop routines and strategies that support clearer thinking and better coping.
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
How Valerie Uses Therapeutic Approaches Online
Valerie often draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people notice difficult thoughts and feelings and focus on values-driven action. ACT can be useful for stress, anxiety, and life transitions where learning how to respond differently matters more than eliminating every uncomfortable feeling.She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which centers on listening, empathy, and supporting the person's own goals. This approach helps build trust and a calmer space for talking through sensitive topics like faith transition, grief, or relationship concerns.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Valerie takes a collaborative stance and helps clients decide which methods fit their needs and goals. She adjusts techniques over time so the plan matches what a person wants to accomplish and how they prefer to work.
The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm the current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules demand it. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT and client-centered techniques for remote sessions to teach coping skills, practice new responses, and track progress between meetings.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?
Valerie works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, grief, career concerns, ADHD, relationship and intimacy-related issues, and many other areas listed on her profile.
How would sessions feel in terms of approach and style?
Work is collaborative and practical, combining skills-based techniques with a client-centered, supportive stance focused on what helps day-to-day life improve.
How much experience does the therapist have?
She brings 30 years of experience in clinical settings and private practice, including work in residential mental health, substance abuse, and school settings.
What are the therapist's credentials and location?
She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, FL LMHC, and practices from Florida with prior work history in Pennsylvania.
Are sessions offered in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to get started?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.