- 30 years experience
- Florida based LMHC
- Works with trauma
About Valerie
Valerie Johnson-Cardoso is a licensed mental health counselor with 30 years of experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, and grief. She also supports those coping with trauma, intimacy challenges, parenting strain, and financial or career stress. Her work includes attention to ADHD, bipolar concerns, and LGBTQ issues.
Valerie practiced in Florida and Pennsylvania and has a background in residential mental health and substance abuse treatment. She spent 16 years as a school teacher for students with learning differences, autism, emotional challenges, and developmental delays. During that time she ran a private practice in evenings and weekends and worked with people of many ages in homes and day treatment settings.
Her approach starts by recognizing that what helps one person may not help another. She aims to work as a team with clients to find small, practical changes that reduce stress and bring more calm. She talks plainly about how actions and responses shape daily life and focuses on manageable steps toward change.
Valerie pays attention to how a harsh inner critic can undermine progress. She helps people identify that self-criticism and build kinder, more helpful self-talk over time. She also brings experience supporting people through faith transitions and religious trauma.
She aims to build trust and provide a safe space to express feelings without judgment. Valerie encourages clients to see change as a process and to take steady steps toward greater balance and resilience.
How Valerie’s Approaches Translate to Online Work
Valerie blends approaches that focus on values, present experience, and practical change. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice strong thoughts and feelings without being controlled by them, then act in ways that match their values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and teaches concrete skills to change how someone reacts to stress and anxiety. Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Valerie will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as needed based on progress and comfort. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, such as working around school or job schedules and reducing travel time. It can allow shorter check-ins when needed or sessions that work around daytime responsibilities. Because the original biography does not list specific session formats, confirm the available options before booking. Licensed professionals can help tailor session length and rhythm to practical needs so therapy fits into everyday life without added stress.Areas of focus
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Valerie help address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and grief. She also supports people with intimacy issues, parenting strain, ADHD, bipolar concerns, and many relationship and career stresses.
What is her general therapy style?
She uses a practical, team-based approach that focuses on small changes and clear actions. Conversations are straightforward and aimed at reducing stress and improving daily coping.
How long has she been practicing?
She brings 30 years of experience working in residential mental health, substance abuse settings, schools, and private practice.
What credentials and location details are listed?
She is a Florida licensed mental health counselor - LMHC - and practices in Florida with prior work history in Pennsylvania.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English, and she also accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How does pricing 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 her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.