Ruth Westfall, LMSW

Ruth Westfall, LMSW, uses straightforward, skills-based methods to help people manage anxiety, stress, trauma, and life changes. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside person-centered care to teach practical coping tools. Ruth writes plainly and focuses on usable strategies you can try between sessions.

She has worked as a therapist for 30 years and has long experience with trauma and victims of crime. More recently she worked in a public health setting alongside a psychiatric nurse practitioner and observed pandemic-related effects on mental and physical health. That experience deepened her focus on how prolonged stress affects daily life, work, relationships, and well-being.

In sessions she uses CBT to break problems into manageable parts and build skills that change unhelpful thinking and behavior. She also uses client-centered techniques to listen closely and meet people where they are. Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mindfulness practices are included when learning emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills makes sense.

Ruth pays attention to practical needs like coping with grief, parenting strain, caregiver stress, or workplace pressure. She also offers support for mood disorders, panic, PTSD, sexual assault recovery, and issues related to identity and relationships. Her approach emphasizes small, steady steps and building on strengths.

Sessions are offered in English and delivered online through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. She works with people across a wide range of concerns and focuses on helping each person find realistic tools they can use every day.

CBT, Client-Centered Care, and DBT for Online Treatment

Ruth often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and to teach practical skills for change. CBT works well for anxiety, panic, depression, and mood-related challenges because it focuses on clear steps and practice. She pairs this with client-centered care, which means she listens closely, follows each person’s pace, and shapes sessions around what the person finds most useful.

She also brings elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy when managing intense emotions is a priority. DBT techniques include emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills that help during crises and day-to-day stress. Together these approaches give both immediate coping tools and longer-term skill building.

Ruth helps clients choose the right approach in collaboration - she will review goals, try methods that fit those goals, and adjust based on what works. That teamwork helps find the best mix of strategies for your life.

Online sessions are available by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face work and skill demonstration. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and text messaging offer quick, written check-ins and tools between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to keep progress moving forward.