Therapist profile
Valerie Keller Gates, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor - Family and parenting concerns
Continue with ValerieAbout
- Client-centered approach
- Cognitive behavioral tools
- Grief and trauma support
About Valerie
Valerie Keller Gates is an Oklahoma Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with seven years of clinical experience. She works with adults on concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, parenting, relationship strain, and life transitions. She also addresses ADHD, bipolar symptoms, intimacy-related issues, and self-esteem difficulties.
She trained with a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Gerontology and a Master of Human Relations with an emphasis in Licensed Professional Counseling. Her background includes work with adults, families, and groups and with people facing mild to severe mental illness. She has supported those coping with loss, behavioral problems, addictions with dual diagnosis, and parenting challenges.
Her daily style is straightforward and honest. She uses a client-centered approach as a foundation, then blends in cognitive-behavioral strategies and other methods as needed. Sessions focus on what the person brings in that day and practical steps to manage symptoms and relationships.
She helps people talk through communication problems, blended family challenges, codependency, control issues, infidelity, and the fallout of separation or divorce. She also works on forgiveness, guilt and shame, financial stress, and questions about life purpose.
Valerie adapts plans to each individual’s situation. She aims for clear feedback and practical tools, alongside listening and reflection. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How sessions work
How her approaches are used in online sessions
Client-centered therapy places attention on the person’s experience and priorities. It involves listening closely, reflecting back what is said, and building plans from the client’s current situation. This approach helps when someone needs clear acceptance and a practical path forward.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It teaches skills for spotting unhelpful thinking and trying new behaviors to reduce anxiety, manage moods, and improve daily functioning. CBT is often used for worry, depression, and relationship stress.
EMDR is an approach that uses focused attention and structured processing to address traumatic memories and strong emotional reactions. It is commonly used for trauma and abuse-related symptoms and can be combined with other methods as needed.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals and preferences and then suggest techniques to try. Decisions about methods are made together and can change as progress is tracked.
If you plan to use online sessions, confirm which session formats are currently offered before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, shorten travel, and allow for quicker check-ins between appointments. Those practical benefits often help people sustain regular sessions while managing family and work commitments.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
Oklahoma
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of family and parenting issues does she help with?
She helps people with parenting challenges, blended family issues, communication problems, and family conflict brought on by separation or divorce.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is client-centered with practical cognitive-behavioral techniques mixed in. She focuses on honest feedback and concrete steps to manage problems.
How many years has she been practicing?
She has seven years of experience working with adults, families, and groups in clinical settings.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is an LPC licensed in Oklahoma and has a master's degree in Human Relations with an emphasis in Licensed Professional Counseling.
Does she offer sessions in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.