Ruth Westfall , LMSW

Ruth Westfall is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with more than 30 years of experience working with trauma and victims of crime. Her career has included time in public health settings, where she collaborated with a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic and observed how prolonged stress and trauma can affect many areas of life. She notes that these impacts can touch physical health, mental health, education, employment, substance use, and relationships, and that these concerns sometimes follow people for decades.

Ruth emphasizes the need for emotional, spiritual, and physical self-care, a need that became especially visible during the pandemic when rates of anxiety and depression rose by at least 25%. She approaches therapy with a focus on practical skills and personal strengths, helping people learn strategies to manage stress, anxiety, grief, and the aftermath of trauma. She also supports clients facing parenting challenges, relationship and family concerns, caregiver stress, and mood or attention differences.

Ruth enjoys guiding people as they recognize their resilience and build positive ways to heal. Her training as an LMSW means she holds a Licensed Master Social Worker credential, which reflects advanced preparation in social work and clinical practice.

Therapeutic approaches and online sessions

Ruth Westfall uses a mix of well-established approaches to fit the needs of each person she works with. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on empathic listening and collaboration - the therapist creates a respectful, nonjudgmental space and helps clients build on their own strengths to address life changes, relationship struggles, and self-esteem concerns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps people identify unhelpful thought patterns and develop practical skills to reduce anxiety, manage depression, and change behaviors that interfere with daily functioning. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness - it is useful when strong emotions or relationship conflicts make it hard to cope.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process. Ruth works collaboratively with clients to explore what fits best for their needs, goals, and preferences, and may combine elements from different approaches to create an individualized plan.

Online sessions offer flexible ways to engage in therapy, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life transitions, and access support from home or other convenient locations while working with licensed professionals and trained therapists.