Valerie Wolfinger, LPCC

Valerie Wolfinger is a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) based in Ohio with 15 years of experience. She focuses on practical help for stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, trauma, relationship strain, parenting concerns, and related life changes. Valerie aims to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try new ways of responding to hard situations.

She uses a straightforward, down-to-earth style in sessions. Valerie blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with client-centered and mindfulness approaches. Sessions often include clear questions, light humor, and exercises to test new beliefs and behaviors in real life.

Valerie has worked with people facing complex issues such as attachment wounds, caregiver stress, chronic illness, blended family challenges, and substance concerns. She also supports people exploring identity, kink and alternative sexuality, and recovery from loss. Her background includes a master’s degree from the University of Dayton and a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University.

In therapy she focuses on short, actionable steps and building tools clients can use between sessions. Valerie leans toward solution-focused techniques when appropriate, setting concrete goals and tracking progress. She aims to make change feel real, not abstract.

Outside of work she is a parent who enjoys reading, cooking, and watching streaming shows. That practical, everyday perspective shapes her approach - therapy should be useful and understandable for daily life.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Valerie commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered methods to help people change unhelpful thoughts and build more useful habits. CBT focuses on identifying thinking errors and testing new behaviors, which is helpful for anxiety, depression, and coping with stress. Client-centered work emphasizes being heard and understood so clients can discover their own solutions and feel more confident in choices.

She also draws on mindfulness practices to teach simple attention and breathing skills that reduce reactivity and improve emotional regulation. These short exercises pair well with CBT work and can be used between sessions to manage difficult moments.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Valerie works with each person to clarify goals, try options, and adjust methods based on what feels helpful. Together they decide whether to emphasize skill practice, problem-solving, or reflective exploration as therapy progresses.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions let people use visual cues and step through exercises together. Phone sessions can be a good fit when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging offer brief, flexible ways to process feelings or keep momentum between regular sessions.