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Professional statement

Valerie Goss is a Marriage and Family Therapist located in Los Altos, CA. Valerie specializes in helping clients answer the difficult questions that come with relationships, including familial relationships and romantic relationships. She supports clients as they decide whether to stay in a relationship or leave it. She also helps clients find comfort in the face of anxiety or depression, which often leaves them feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, and disinterested in their own lives. Valerie helps clients make important decisions through reflection, introspection, and healthy perspectives.

Valerie's approach to therapy with couples draws from the evidence-based couples therapy modality The Gottman Method. This therapy approach teaches clients how to relate to one another in healthy ways. Couples learn clear, strong communication strategies, as well as practice empathizing with one another. Through the expression and affirmation of feelings, couples' bonds grow closer. Valerie also helps clients grow their understanding of their own feelings, thoughts, and desires. She listens with compassion as clients talk about their lives, offering them different viewpoints from which to see their situations. She doesn't shy away from discussions about life's greater questions, including reasons for living and humanity's purpose.

Valerie earned a Master's degree from John F. Kennedy University. She enjoys bringing the feminist lens to therapy sessions and working with clients of all identities, preferences, lifestyles, and situations. She strives to teach clients how to be compassionate with themselves, engaging in self-acceptance and forgiveness.

Message to clients

Just like life, therapy is both an adventure and a risk. As a therapist, I encourage you to focus on making choices. Our lives are constantly filled with the need to make choices. Should you be in your current relationship or leave? Self-acceptance and developing the ability to express your thoughts and feelings is a complicated endeavor.

Choosing a therapist can be very confusing, but choosing the right therapist can be crucial to living a happy and fulfilling life.

I specialize in helping you develop tools for managing feelings of depression and anxiety as well as strengthening your ability to form satisfying relationships.

Self-acceptance and forgiveness can be one of life's greatest challenges. In our work together, you will explore thoughts and feelings about yourself and the people in your life that will allow you to accept and understand these parts of yourself and work toward acquiring new tools.

Connecting with others, helping you to understand and realize your dreams and improve the quality of your relationships and your life has been my lifelong passion. Each therapy session is an opportunity for insight and accomplishment.

Please feel free to contact me in order to begin this journey together.

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Specialties

Adolescent mental health - Working with adolescents, teenagers, and parents on social, academic, and/or emotional challenges throughout teenage years; addressing anxiety, family conflicts, peer relationships, school stress, transition to college, social media pressures, self-esteem, hopelessness about the future, emotional disregulation

Anxiety - Coping with excessive worry, nervousness, or stress; intense discomfort in social settings (social anxiety); sudden and intense feelings of panic (panic disorder)

Depression - Providing support and promoting healing of hopelessness, low motivation and energy, sadness, irritability, sleep disturbance, and loss of interest and pleasure in life

Existential crisis & challenges - Supportive exploration of meaning and purpose in one's life; finding one's path in the face of existential anxiety, dread, and feelings of meaninglessness

Life transitions - Coping with difficult or impactful life changes, such as moving to a new area, relationship transitions, child rearing, or career changes; learning self-care to better manage resulting stress

Relationship issues - Understanding one's wants and needs in relationships; exploring patterns of interaction, addressing concerns, and strengthening satisfaction in relationships and dating

Clientele

Insurance

Valerie Goss is not in-network with any insurances.

Read about the benefits of seeing an out-of-network provider here.

Cost of Services

Individual sessions: $300 (55min)

Sliding scale: $250 - $300

Location

Los Altos

329 S San Antonio Rd Ste 3, Ste 3, Los Altos , California 94022

Hours

Work and Education

Years of experience: 42 years

Private practice: Psychotherapy , 2001 - Present

John F Kennedy University: MA Clinical Psychology, 1981

License: California - MFT38086