Ruth Westfall

Ruth Westfall is an LMSW with three decades of experience as a therapist. She focuses on trauma, stress, anxiety, and mood concerns and often helps people cope with life changes, grief, and relationship strain. Her work also includes supporting those facing parenting challenges, caregiver stress, and issues related to women's health and LGBT concerns.

Ruth has extensive experience working with victims of crime and seeing how long-term stress affects many areas of life. She noticed during the COVID-19 pandemic that anxiety and depression rose sharply and that emotional strain often shows up alongside physical and work difficulties. That experience shaped how she approaches care and recovery.

In sessions she helps people learn practical skills to manage symptoms and regain a sense of balance. She uses approaches like client-centered work, cognitive behavioral strategies, dialectical behavior techniques, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing to match what a person needs. Conversations focus on building strengths and usable tools rather than long lectures.

Ruth pays attention to patterns that affect daily living, such as sleep, mood swings, and relationships. She also supports people dealing with trauma, domestic violence, sexual assault, and compassion fatigue. The aim is steady progress and clearer coping skills for everyday moments.

Her practice is grounded in straightforward care and collaboration. People who choose her can expect a calm, practical approach aimed at helping them move forward and handle stressors more effectively.

How these approaches shape online therapy

Client-centered work focuses on listening and following the person's priorities. The therapist creates space for people to tell their story and helps identify goals they want to reach. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts influence feelings and behavior and teaches step-by-step tools to reduce anxiety, depression, and panic symptoms. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, provides concrete skills for managing intense emotions and improving relationships, often using breathing, grounding, and emotion regulation exercises.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Ruth will collaborate with each person to decide which tools to try first and will adjust methods based on progress and feedback. That shared decision-making helps shape a plan that fits the person’s goals and daily life.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the available session formats before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Some people find video useful for skill practice while others prefer phone conversations that need less bandwidth. Talk with the therapist to learn which options are currently offered and how they can fit into your routine.