Ruth Westfall

Ruth Westfall is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with 30 years of clinical experience. She focuses on trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, and anger, and helps people build practical skills to cope with life’s difficulties. Her approach centers on listening first and then working with each person to find what helps them feel steadier.

Ruth has long experience supporting people affected by crime and trauma. During the COVID-19 pandemic she worked alongside a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at a public health center and saw how prolonged stress affects mental and physical health, work, school, and relationships. She uses that perspective to address symptoms that have lasted for months or even years.

In sessions she focuses on concrete tools people can use day to day. That can include strategies to manage anxiety, reduce anger, or handle grief and loss. She emphasizes strengths and small changes that add up over time.

Ruth draws from several methods, including client-centered work, cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior strategies, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing. She adapts these approaches to each person’s needs and pace.

People often come to her for help with parenting stress, relationship strain, caregiver burnout, post-traumatic stress, and mood disorders. She aims to help people recognize patterns, practice new responses, and move toward healing in a realistic, hopeful way.

Therapeutic approaches for remote care and daily life

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person’s experience and priorities. The therapist listens closely and helps the person set goals and find their own solutions, which can be useful for managing stress, grief, and relationship concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thought and behavior and teaches specific skills to change them. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, panic, and mood symptoms because it gives practical steps to try between sessions.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improving interpersonal effectiveness. These skills can help with anger, intense reactions, and ongoing mood challenges.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, try strategies, and adjust based on what helps. Many people use a mix of methods over time as needs change.

Confirm session options before booking, since the biography does not list formats. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when that helps. It can also be useful when a quieter space or lower bandwidth is needed. Ask about available formats when you start the matching process to find what fits your schedule and preferences.