- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
About Valerie
Valerie Johnson-Cardoso is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Florida with 30 years of clinical experience. She has worked in residential mental health and substance abuse settings and spent 16 years as a school teacher for students with learning differences, autism, and emotional needs. Valerie helps people facing common concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, and parenting struggles.
She also supports people dealing with relationship strain, intimacy issues, blended family issues, and challenges tied to identity and trauma. Valerie’s background includes work in homes and day treatment facilities, and an evening private practice during her teaching years. She has experience with religious trauma and faith transition matters.
Valerie uses several evidence-informed approaches and adapts them to the person in front of her. Sessions often focus on practical skills to manage difficult feelings, reduce unhelpful thoughts, and improve communication. She talks through simple steps people can try between meetings and checks what is or isn’t working.
Her style emphasizes collaboration. Valerie aims to help people notice the inner critic, reduce its impact, and choose actions that reflect their values. She explains options plainly and adjusts her approach over time based on what the client needs.
People considering therapy are encouraged to think about current difficulties and goals before the first meeting. Valerie offers help for a wide range of concerns including ADHD, eating and body image issues, caregiving stress, and coping with life changes.
How Valerie’s approaches work online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and choosing actions that align with personal values rather than getting stuck on unhelpful thoughts. It can help when life changes, anxiety, or identity questions make consistent action hard. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people identify patterns of thinking that increase distress and teaches practical exercises to shift those patterns and reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers skills for managing intense emotions, improving distress tolerance, and strengthening interpersonal effectiveness, useful for anger, relationship strain, and emotional overwhelm.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Valerie will discuss goals and try methods that fit a person’s needs and preferences. She adjusts techniques over time based on what helps most, and she works with clients to set short-term steps and track progress together.
The therapist biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, shorten travel time, and allow for different check-in styles such as brief phone updates or longer video meetings depending on what the therapist offers. Ask about format options when scheduling to match sessions to your daily routine.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Listed in
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, grief, trauma, relationship and parenting concerns, and a range of other issues including blended family problems and ADHD.
How would she approach therapy?
Her style draws on approaches like ACT, CBT, DBT, EFT and client-centered therapy to teach coping skills, manage thoughts and improve communication.
How much experience does she have?
She has 30 years of experience in mental health settings, including residential treatment and long-term work as a school teacher.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor (FL LMHC) and practices from Florida.
Can I work with her if I live outside the US?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients; confirm any licensing or local requirements before beginning.
What session formats does she offer?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How much do sessions cost?
Fees vary by location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.