Valerie LaPorte , LICSW

Valerie LaPorte is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) practicing in Minnesota with 21 years of professional experience, including more than a decade of direct clinical work. She is a Minnesota Board of Social Work approved clinical and non-clinical licensing supervisor and brings long-standing experience working across the lifespan, from young children to older adults.

Her practice has addressed a wide range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, trauma and abuse, relationship and family issues, anger management, addiction, grief, sleep problems, parenting challenges, and care needs related to disability or incarceration. For much of her career she has worked almost exclusively with individuals experiencing serious mental illness, developing familiarity with complex and co-occurring difficulties.

Valerie’s counseling style is empathetic and goal-directed, emphasizing approachability, focused listening, and practical problem solving. She strives to help each person feel heard and empowered while treating everyone with dignity, respect, and compassion. Her approach blends several theoretical perspectives and tools - including solution-focused brief therapy, strengths-based work, and cognitive-behavioral techniques - to create individualized treatment plans tailored to each client’s needs and goals. She welcomes opportunities to support people seeking help and growth.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Valerie LaPorte

Valerie integrates Attachment-Based Therapy to explore how early and current relationship patterns shape emotional responses and interpersonal difficulties, which can be especially useful for issues like abandonment, intimacy concerns, and relationship struggles. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy to create an accepting, nonjudgmental space where a person’s own goals and strengths guide the work, supporting self-esteem and personal growth. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is employed to identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering concrete strategies for managing anxiety, depression, and stress.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Valerie collaborates with each person to determine what fits best based on their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative process may combine elements from different models to form a tailored plan.

Online therapy options - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make it easier to access care around work, family, or geographic constraints. These formats offer flexibility for scheduling, allow ongoing connection between sessions, and enable licensed professionals and therapists to meet people where they are while working toward meaningful change.