Prof. Valerie Starr

Experienced counselor blending CBT and person-centered care

LCPC, LCMHC Nevada

Experience: 38 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Attachment-Based Therapy
Languages: English

About Valerie

Prof. Valerie Starr brings 38 years of clinical practice and teaching to her work supporting people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy challenges, addiction, grief, parenting concerns, and self-esteem struggles.

Background and approach

She combines a person-centered outlook with practical interventions to help clients build coping skills, improve communication, and restore a sense of agency. Her approach blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with attachment-informed and client-centered principles, and she also draws on existential and hypnotherapy techniques when appropriate.

Valerie has practiced in community mental health and personal settings, and she spent eleven years as an adjunct professor teaching graduate courses in Family Systems Therapy and ethics for aspiring mental health counselors. Known for a warm, compassionate manner, she avoids labeling and treats each person as an individual working toward greater well-being.

Licensed in both Nevada and New Hampshire as an LCPC and LCMHC, Valerie aims to help clients explore personal strengths, navigate life transitions, and develop realistic, sustainable changes in thinking and behavior.

Therapeutic approaches and online care that fit your life

Prof. Valerie Starr uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and change unhelpful thought and behavior patterns; this approach often supports work on anxiety, depression, and stress by teaching practical coping strategies. She also integrates Attachment-Based Therapy to explore relational patterns and how early bonds affect current relationships and intimacy concerns, which can be useful when addressing connection, abandonment, or communication issues.

Finding the right combination of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. The therapist works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best align with their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress and insight develop.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care while balancing work, family, and other commitments, and they allow licensed professionals to focus on skill-building, emotional processing, and practical problem solving in formats that fit clients' lives.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist address?

Prof. Valerie Starr works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, grief, parenting, anger, self-esteem, and related topics listed in her specialties.

How would you describe the therapeutic style and approach?

Her style emphasizes a warm, person-centered stance combined with practical interventions; she integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with attachment-informed and existential perspectives as clinically appropriate.

What is her professional background and experience?

She has 38 years of experience in community mental health and independent practice and taught graduate-level Family Systems Therapy and ethics as an adjunct professor for eleven years.

What credentials and location are listed for the therapist?

She holds Nevada LCPC CP5222-R and New Hampshire LCMHC 139 credentials and practices with a Nevada location noted in her profile.

Can she work with clients who live outside the United States?

International clients are accepted according to the profile, with services offered in English.

What session formats are available for online work?

Sessions may be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to match different preferences and needs.

How are fees and payment handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the steps to begin working together?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse Depression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTGriefIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteem

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobias Post-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Existential TherapyHypnotherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

38+ years

Licensed

New Hampshire, Nevada

Languages

English