Valerie LaPorte, LICSW

Valerie LaPorte is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) with 21 years of professional experience. She focuses on practical, goal-directed therapy that helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, and relationship and parenting concerns. Her style is warm and approachable, and she aims to help clients feel heard and respected from the first session.

Valerie combines listening with clear problem-solving. She draws on client-centered methods and cognitive behavioral techniques to build plans that fit each person's life. Mindfulness and attachment-based ideas also inform her work, especially when dealing with trauma, intimacy struggles, or care-related stress.

Her background includes long experience supporting people with serious mental illness and a range of life challenges. She has worked with clients across the lifespan, including needs tied to aging, adoption and foster care, and disability-related concerns. She is also an approved clinical and non-clinical licensing supervisor for the Minnesota Board of Social Work.

In sessions, Valerie focuses on small, achievable steps. She helps clients practice new ways of thinking and coping, set realistic goals, and improve communication. For parenting or caregiver strain she helps people prioritize self-care and effective routines.

People who choose Valerie can expect a respectful, collaborative relationship. She will work with each person to tailor a treatment plan that addresses their specific goals and challenges. Valerie aims to make therapy understandable and useful for everyday life.

How Valerie’s Approaches Translate to Online Therapy

Attachment-based work focuses on relationships and how early bonds influence feelings and behavior. Online sessions using attachment ideas help people notice patterns in closeness, trust, and communication so they can try new ways of relating.

Client-centered therapy centers the person’s experience, with the therapist listening deeply and reflecting what matters most. That approach supports people who need validation, clearer self-understanding, and a steady space to make changes.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thinking and build practical skills for coping. In remote sessions, CBT tools like thought records, activity planning, and behavioral experiments can be practiced between meetings to make everyday life easier.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. Valerie will discuss your goals, preferences, and what has or has not helped before to decide together which methods to emphasize. That joint decision shapes what happens session by session.

The practical benefits of online therapy include easier scheduling and fitting sessions into busy days. Online work can reduce travel time and make follow-up between visits simpler. Because this therapist’s biography does not list specific session formats, confirm current delivery options before booking so you know whether sessions are by video, phone, or another supported format.