Valencia Gooden, LCSW, LISW

Valencia Gooden is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who focuses on helping people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and life changes. She combines practical tools with a compassionate listening style so people can take small steps forward. Valencia writes plans with each person to match their goals and pace.

She brings five years of clinical therapy experience and more than a decade in the human services field. That background gives her steady experience with common life stressors and transitions. Sessions emphasize clear skills people can use between meetings and space to talk through what matters most to them.

Valencia draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy to shape sessions. She also uses mindfulness practices to help people manage stress and EMDR when trauma processing is appropriate. Her approach stays focused on what each person needs in the moment.

People who want help finding life purpose or building self-love will find that she frames goals into manageable steps. She balances practical strategies with emotional support so progress feels realistic. Valencia encourages small experiments between sessions to test new ways of coping.

Outside of work she values family time, painting, audiobooks, and learning new skills. Those interests influence a hopeful, growth-minded approach in therapy. She aims to be a steady partner as people work toward clearer goals and better daily functioning.

How Valencia's approaches translate to online therapy

Valencia uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors; this often looks like setting small homework tasks and practicing new skills between sessions. Client-Centered Therapy is also part of her work, which means sessions focus on listening closely and shaping the work around each person's values and goals. When trauma processing is appropriate, she may use EMDR to address disturbing memories and reduce their emotional intensity.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. She will talk with each person about symptoms, daily routines, and goals to decide what methods to try first. Plans are adjusted over time based on what helps and what feels manageable for the individual.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and real-time skill coaching, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or for quick check-ins, and live chat or text-based messaging can fit into busy schedules or provide short daily support. These options make it easier to fit sessions into work, caregiving, or travel routines while keeping the focus on practical progress.