01 · Who Laverne works with

Laverne works with stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and grief

Laverne lists 12 specialisms and 13 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Laverne chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Laverne's own words

What Laverne says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

As a licensed therapist serving Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Ohio, New Jersey, I specialize in supporting individuals navigating complex emotional landscapes. My practice centers on helping clients address depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, and personal growth. I bring a compassionate, culturally responsive approach to therapy, with deep expertise in supporting women, multicultural communities, and individuals experiencing workplace stress, social anxiety, and life transitions.

My therapeutic work focuses on empowering clients to develop self-love, improve communication, overcome isolation, and rediscover their sense of purpose. I understand the intricate dynamics of blended families and the unique challenges of codependency. Drawing from evidence-based practices, I create a warm, affirming space where clients can explore their experiences, heal from past wounds, and build resilience.

My commitment is to walk alongside you with genuine understanding, respect, and professional guidance as you navigate your personal journey of healing and transformation.

Laverne Hoffler-Duckworth, on the BetterHelp listing · read 8 Nov 2026

03 · How Laverne works

The 4 approaches Laverne lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Laverne lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Laverne's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Laverne runs a session.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Dialectical Behaviour TherapyDBT

A structured skills-led adaptation of CBT built around holding two things at once: accepting yourself as you are and working to change. Teaches concrete skills for distress tolerance, emotion regulation and relationships. Developed for people whose feelings arrive at overwhelming intensity, and strongest-evidenced there.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Laverne practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Laverne's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Laverne at this point.

2. Naming Laverne specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Laverne is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Laverne.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

2 questions worth asking Laverne

Built from what Laverne actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Laverne's - Laverne has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LPC

Licensed in

Pennsylvania

Licence

GA LPC LPC016768, TX LPC 101001

Licence number

PC010820

Licence expires

28 Feb 2027

NPI

1174881841

Years in practice

10

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

9 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Laverne's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 8 Nov 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Laverne. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.