PuttingFamilyFirst

The therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp and we will earn a commission if you use our link - at no cost to you.

RA Portrait of Ruth Anthony-McClary
Online therapist

Ruth Anthony-McClary

Calm, practical support for life's changes

Credentials
LCSW
Experience
30 years
Licensed in
New Jersey
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Ruth

Ruth Anthony-McClary greets people with a calm, practical style. She is a licensed clinical social worker with 30 years of experience in New Jersey. She focuses on everyday struggles like stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, grief, and parenting concerns.

Her way of working aims to make small changes that add up to a steadier life. She listens first and adapts her approach to each person. Conversations and short-term goals guide the work.

Background and approach

She uses clear tools to build coping skills and to address responses tied to past hurts and trauma. Those tools include cognitive behavioral techniques and mindfulness practices to reduce overwhelming thoughts and emotions. Ruth also draws on attachment-based ideas to explore how past relationships shape present patterns.

Motivational interviewing helps when someone feels stuck or unsure about change. The mix of methods is chosen to match each person’s needs and pace. Sessions can include coaching elements when clients want practical steps for career or daily life challenges.

Ruth emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion in every conversation. She aims to create a steady space for people to try new habits and perspectives. Her practice offers several ways to connect, including video, phone, live chat, and text-based messaging.

She asks new clients to complete a brief matching questionnaire and then schedule sessions according to availability.

Practical approaches you can use online

Ruth often combines cognitive behavioral techniques with attachment-based ideas to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and change day-to-day patterns. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and then testing small changes that reduce distress. Attachment-based work looks at how early relationship experiences shape current reactions and helps people try different ways of relating.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences and recommend methods that fit their situation. That collaborative process makes it easier to try strategies that feel doable in daily life.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. These formats make it easier to schedule around work, school, and caregiving, and they let people maintain momentum between visits. Many clients find that having multiple options helps them stick with the plan and practice new skills in real time.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Looks at how early bonds shaped what you expect from closeness, and how that plays out now with a partner, a parent, or your own children.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, depression, grief, intimacy-related issues, parenting, anger, career questions, bipolar concerns, and coping with life changes among other issues.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She listens first and adapts methods to each person. Her style blends practical skills, reflective conversation, and goal-focused steps.
How long has she practiced?
She has 30 years of clinical social work experience practicing in a range of settings and with many kinds of challenges.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in New Jersey with license number NJ LCSW 44SC04805000.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Clients can meet by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on preference.
How is payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Experience
30 years
Licensed
New Jersey
Languages
English

Next step

Talk to Ruth

  • Takes a few minutes
  • Nothing to set up just to look
  • Stop at any point