PuttingFamilyFirst

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VJ Portrait of Valerie Johnson-Cardoso
Online therapist

Valerie Johnson-Cardoso

Compassionate guidance for parenting and life changes

Book with Valerie
Credentials
LMHC
Experience
30 years
Licensed in
Florida
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Valerie

Valerie Johnson-Cardoso is a licensed mental health counselor with 30 years of experience. She helps people who are juggling stress, anxiety, parenting challenges, substance concerns, grief, and life transitions. Valerie works with clients across the lifespan and brings a calm, steady presence to difficult conversations.

She began her career as a school teacher for 16 years, supporting students with learning differences, emotional challenges, autism, and developmental delays. During that time she ran an evening and weekend independent practice.

Background and approach

She has also provided care in residential mental health and residential substance abuse settings in Florida and Pennsylvania. Valerie has worked in day treatment programs and in-home settings with children and adults. That variety of roles shaped her practical approach to problems.

She focuses on small, doable changes rather than sweeping fixes. Her work pays attention to how people handle inner criticism and self-blame. Valerie helps clients notice unhelpful self-talk and practice kinder responses.

She aims to build trust and create a space where people can speak freely without judgment. Therapy with Valerie blends straightforward talk with skill practice. She uses evidence-informed approaches to help people manage emotions, cope with life changes, and improve daily functioning.

Her background includes work around faith transitions and religious trauma concerns, which she can address when relevant.

Therapy approaches and how they work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on noticing unhelpful thoughts and choosing actions that match personal values. It helps people manage anxiety, stress, and difficult life transitions by clarifying what matters and practicing small steps toward those values.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It teaches practical skills for changing patterns that keep problems going and is useful for anxiety, depression, anger, and coping with change.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options and together decide which techniques fit the client’s goals and daily life. That collaborative planning helps tailor sessions to what the person needs most.

Online therapy makes these approaches easier to access. Video calls allow face-to-face conversations when meeting in person is hard. Phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging give flexible ways to check in and practice skills between longer sessions. These options can help people fit therapy into busy family routines and manage care from different locations.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Less about arguing with difficult thoughts, more about loosening their grip and acting on what matters to you anyway. Values and committed action carry the work, which suits conversation at a distance.

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 kinds of concerns can be addressed here?
Valerie works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, parenting, grief, trauma and intimate issues. Additional focus areas include body image, caregiver stress, ADHD, and adjustment to life changes.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She takes a collaborative, practical approach that blends talk and skill practice. Sessions tend to focus on small, actionable steps and learning new ways to respond to difficult thoughts and feelings.
How much experience does she have?
Valerie has worked in mental health for 30 years in a variety of roles, including schools, residential programs, and independent practice.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, FL LMHC MH5690, and practices in Florida.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English and she also accepts international clients.
What formats are available for sessions?
Therapy can be delivered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
30 years
Licensed
Florida
Languages
English

Next step

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