Ruth Westfall
Experienced trauma-informed therapist focused on practical skills
LMSW Michigan
- Experience
- 30 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Parenting
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Ruth
Ruth Westfall is an LMSW with three decades of clinical experience who integrates practical, evidence-informed methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy with a compassionate, client-centered stance.
Background and approach
She has dedicated much of her work to trauma and to supporting people affected by crime, and more recently observed how prolonged stress and collective events like the COVID-19 pandemic amplified anxiety and depression in many lives. Ruth emphasizes skill-building so clients can better manage symptoms that affect physical health, work, relationships, and day-to-day functioning.
Her approach is collaborative and grounded in helping people identify strengths and develop coping strategies. She draws on DBT skills, mindfulness practices, and motivational interviewing alongside CBT techniques to address a wide range of concerns including mood disorders, grief, parenting stress, burnout and compassion fatigue, relationship issues, ADHD, and recovery from sexual assault and domestic violence.
Located in Michigan, Ruth brings long-term clinical perspective to helping clients regain balance and resilience through practical tools and steady support.
How evidence-based approaches translate to online care
Ruth commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts and develop practical strategies for changing patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, panic, and mood difficulties. She also relies on client-centered principles that prioritize each person's experience and goals, creating a collaborative space for exploring challenges and building on strengths.Choosing the right therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Ruth works with each person to consider their priorities, symptoms, and preferences and will suggest techniques or blends of approaches that fit those needs, adjusting the plan as progress and circumstances evolve.
Online therapy with formats like video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging makes it easier to integrate sessions into busy lives and to maintain continuity when in-person visits are impractical. These options support flexibility in scheduling and allow clients to practice skills between sessions while staying connected with a licensed professional who can guide coping, trauma recovery, and symptom management.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Licensed
Michigan
Languages
English