01 · Who Valerie works with

Valerie works with stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and grief

Valerie lists 5 specialisms and 4 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Valerie chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Valerie's own words

What Valerie says about the work

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

I am a mature, African-American woman who was born and raised in Oakland, CA. I am a licensed clinical social worker with over 25 years of professional work experience in California. I received my Masters of Social Work from California State University, Sacramento. Populations I have served were pregnant and parenting women who used substances during their pregnancy and their families; male and female teenagers in group homes; and served in ministry as a Christian counselor. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, coping with grief and loss, attachment and bonding of new parents & depression. My approach to therapy includes an eclectic approach of the therapeutic practices depending on the needs of the client. I practice a Solution Focused Brief Therapy, psycho-dynamic and cognitive behavioral approach. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking therapy can be very scary. I am here to support you in that process.

I am only licensed in the State of California and will not be able to provide services if you are out of the State or out of the Country at the time of your call. You will also be asked to verify your identity and location before each call to protect your identity.

Valerie Williams, on the BetterHelp listing · read 5 Nov 2026

03 · How Valerie works

The 2 approaches Valerie lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Valerie lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Valerie'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 Valerie runs a session.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

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.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Valerie 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 Valerie'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 Valerie at this point.

2. Naming Valerie specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Valerie 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 Valerie.

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

3 questions worth asking Valerie

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

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “With 15 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “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

LCSW

Licensed in

California

Licence

CA LCSW 25440

Licence number

25440

Licence expires

28 Feb 2027

NPI

1831370626

Years in practice

15

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Valerie'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 5 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 Valerie. 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.