Ruth Westfall , LMSW

Ruth Westfall has worked for more than 30 years as a therapist with a strong focus on trauma and supporting victims of crime. Her long career includes clinical work in public health settings, where she partnered with a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and observed how prolonged stress and traumatic experiences can ripple through many areas of life. She recognizes that trauma and ongoing stress affect physical health, mental health, education, employment, substance use, and relationships, and that these impacts can persist for decades.

Ruth helps people who are coping with anxiety, depression, grief, caregiving strain, relationship challenges, and the emotional aftermath of abuse or violence. She combines practical skill-building with an emphasis on personal strengths so individuals can develop tools to manage symptoms and move toward healing. Her approach is grounded in decades of practice and a belief that emotional, spiritual, and physical care are all important to recovery.

Ruth holds an LMSW, which stands for Licensed Master Social Worker, and she brings that social work training to clinical practice with compassion and directness. She aims to create collaborative work with each person to identify goals and build sustainable strategies for coping, growth, and improved functioning.

Therapeutic approaches for online work and healing

Ruth uses Client-Centered Therapy to create a supportive space where the client is seen as the expert on their own life. This approach emphasizes empathy, active listening, and collaboration to help people explore their values and build on existing strengths. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another key tool she applies; CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors and is useful for anxiety, depression, and mood-related concerns. Ruth also integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) strategies when emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, or crisis coping skills are priorities - DBT offers practical skills for managing intense emotions and improving relationships.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Ruth collaborates with each person to assess needs, preferences, and goals, and adjusts methods over time so the work fits the individual's situation. This shared decision-making helps ensure treatment stays relevant and constructive.

Online therapy with Ruth is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to access licensed professionals from home or other convenient locations and can support consistent care when in-person visits are difficult.