Valerie Bryan, LPC

Valerie Bryan brings 37 years of experience in the mental health field to her counseling work. She draws on training as a registered art therapist to incorporate creativity into problem solving and to help people view their challenges from fresh perspectives. Her practice addresses depression, anxiety, feelings of being unloved or unappreciated, anger, resentment, guilt, sorrow, and poor coping that can result from unacknowledged trauma, among other concerns.

She aims for clients to feel a sense of hope and optimism as early as the first session. Her style is warm and humanistic, and she frequently uses humor and compassion as tools to support growth, resilience, and healing. Influenced by Jungian theory and Native American spirituality, she values balance, respect for differences, and gratitude while also acknowledging the importance of facing the darker parts of personality so that greater self-knowledge and authentic living can emerge.

Practical, expressive exercises are sometimes part of her work - she may invite people to have markers and paper available to symbolize relationships, map situations, or express feelings. No artistic skill is required to use these techniques. As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), she combines psychodynamic, somatic, narrative, mindfulness, cognitive behavioral, attachment-based, and trauma-focused approaches to support people in releasing pain, strengthening self-compassion, improving relationships, and finding more reasons for laughter and gratitude.