- CBT techniques
- Attachment focus
- Narrative work
About Valerie
Valerie Novak is a California-licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with 10 years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship conflicts, family and parenting concerns, and depression. Valerie also lists social anxiety and phobia among her focus areas.
She uses a straightforward, collaborative approach that treats the client as the expert on their story. Sessions center on practical steps and conversations that help clients notice what’s working and what they want to change. Valerie draws on evidence-informed methods to address patterns that cause distress in daily life.
Her work often looks at how early attachment and current relationships shape thinking and feelings. She combines that perspective with cognitive behavioral techniques to address unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Narrative ideas are used to help people retell difficult experiences in ways that reduce their power.
Valerie has experience addressing trauma, grief, addiction-related concerns, and caregiver stress. She also supports people dealing with abandonment, adoption and foster care issues, and end-of-life and hospice-related topics. Sessions can include practical coaching for career and life-purpose questions.
Clients can expect direct conversation, skill-building, and attention to relationships that matter to them. She aims to help people make manageable changes for everyday life. To begin, follow the site’s intake steps and schedule an initial session.
How Valerie’s approaches translate to online work
Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early and current relationships shape reactions today. It helps when patterns in close relationships fuel anxiety or avoidance. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It is useful for managing anxiety, social fears, and mood-related symptoms.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Valerie will discuss options with each person and choose strategies based on goals, needs, and personal preferences. That decision is collaborative and may shift as therapy progresses.
The practical benefits of online sessions include fitting therapy into a busy schedule and reducing travel time. Online work can make it easier to have shorter check-ins during a break, avoid commuting, or meet when in-person sessions are difficult to schedule. Confirm the current session formats before booking so you know whether telephone or video options are offered. Licensed professionals can use these formats to practice CBT skills, apply attachment-informed reflections, or carry out narrative exercises across sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
Valerie works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family issues, parenting concerns, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, and social anxiety and phobia.
What is her approach in sessions?
She uses a collaborative, client-centered style that combines attachment perspectives, cognitive behavioral strategies, and narrative techniques to help people change stressful patterns.
How much experience does she have?
She has 10 years of professional work experience as a therapist in California.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an LMFT licensed in California and practices with that credential in the state.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted; she works with clients in California.
How does cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.