Virginia Ballantyne , LCSW

If this is an emergency, call 9-1-1. She generally checks messages a few times per day and will respond as quickly as she can.

Virginia A. Ballantyne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) - a licensed mental health professional who holds California license CA LCSW 98267. She identifies as a bi-racial woman and uses she/her pronouns. Virginia brings 12 years of clinical experience working with people affected by intimate partner violence, trauma and PTSD, anxiety, depression, and the long-term impacts of growing up around family members with substance use or mental health challenges.

Her training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Solution Focused Therapy. She practices from a strengths-based, client-centered framework that honors each person’s resilience and inner wisdom, tailoring an eclectic, humanistic approach to match individual needs and backgrounds. Her counseling style is non-judgmental and collaborative, focused on skill-building and practical strategies to manage stressors and improve daily functioning.

Virginia offers a sex-positive, LGBTQ+ affirming practice where topics of sexual intimacy, identity, and desire can be explored openly. She has a history of serving diverse and disadvantaged populations through nonprofit and county services and values social justice, authenticity, and self-determination. She is currently accepting new clients who reside in California and is available for sessions by phone, video, or live chat.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

Virginia Ballantyne integrates client-centered therapy with evidence-informed skills from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Client-centered therapy focuses on creating a respectful, non-judgmental space that honors each person’s experiences and priorities, helping people clarify goals and build on their strengths. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is practical and action-oriented - it helps people identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop new coping strategies useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and many everyday challenges. Dialectical Behavior Therapy emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improving interpersonal effectiveness, which can be especially helpful for intense emotions, relationship conflict, and self-destructive patterns.

Finding the right blend of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. Virginia works collaboratively with each person to assess needs, clarify goals, and choose methods that fit their preferences and life situation, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers flexibility by allowing sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, attend from different locations within California, and maintain continuity of care when in-person meetings are not feasible. Licensed professionals can use these formats to deliver consistent, structured support while adapting pace and tools to the client’s preferences.