How Valerie works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LICSW
- Licensed in
- Minnesota
- Years in practice
- 21
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Valerie
Valerie LaPorte is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) who brings 21 years of professional experience to her therapy practice. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, addiction, and life changes. Her style is warm and direct, focused on practical steps that help clients move forward.
Valerie blends clear listening with goal-focused care. She aims to help clients feel heard and build concrete skills to manage symptoms and daily challenges.
Background and approach
Sessions are tailored to each person’s needs and priorities. She has a long history of working with people from many backgrounds, including those coping with trauma, relationship and family concerns, parenting strain, sleep problems, ADHD, and compassion fatigue. Much of her career has involved supporting people with serious mental health conditions, giving her experience with complex, layered problems.
Her approach draws on Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy. Valerie emphasizes strengths, problem solving, and small, achievable goals so clients see steady progress. She is licensed in Minnesota as an LICSW and also serves as a Minnesota Board of Social Work approved clinical and non-clinical licensing supervisor.
Valerie welcomes international clients and meets people through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
What Valerie works with
Everything Valerie lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Valerie's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Traumatic brain injury
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Valerie lists
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic tools and online care that fit your life
Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape how people connect and feel safe. It can help when trust, closeness, or fear of abandonment affect current relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the connection between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns, useful for anxiety, depression, anger, and sleep problems.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Valerie will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and recommend approaches that match those needs. That decision is collaborative and can change as therapy progresses to keep things useful and relevant.
Online therapy formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls let people read facial cues and do deeper conversations. Phone sessions need less bandwidth and can fit into a work break. Live chat and text messaging are good for brief check-ins, coaching between sessions, or when typing feels easier than speaking. These options make scheduling more flexible and can help therapy fit around family, work, and daily life.
Questions people ask about Valerie
What concerns does Valerie commonly address?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, addictions, and coping with life changes, plus related concerns like sleep problems and self-esteem.
What is her therapeutic approach and style?
Her style is empathetic and goal-directed, combining listening with practical problem solving and skill-building to help people reach their goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Valerie has 21 years of professional experience and over 10 years of direct clinical practice working with a wide range of challenges.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds an LICSW credential and is licensed in Minnesota; she also functions as a Minnesota Board of Social Work approved clinical and non-clinical licensing supervisor.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are available?
Therapy is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with Valerie?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.