Virginia Ballantyne , LCSW

If this is an emergency, call 9-1-1. Virginia A. Ballantyne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW - with a California license number 98267. She identifies as a bi-racial woman and uses she/her pronouns. She generally checks messages here a few times per day and will respond as quickly as she can. She is currently accepting new clients who reside in California and offers sessions by phone, video, or live chat.

Virginia specializes in work with people affected by intimate partner violence, trauma and PTSD, anxiety, depression, and those who grew up impacted by a family member's substance use or mental illness. Her practice also addresses relationship and family concerns, grief, parenting and blended family challenges, career stress, addictions, and issues related to LGBT identity and gender dysphoria. Additional focus areas include adoption and foster care, BDSM and kink, caregiver stress, codependency, communication and control difficulties, divorce and separation, domestic violence, family of origin problems, first responder issues, and HIV/AIDS.

She has training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution Focused Therapy, and practices from a strengths-based, client-centered perspective. Her style is non-judgmental and humanistic, adapting an eclectic approach to fit each person's background and needs. She provides a sex-positive environment where sexual intimacy, identity, and desires can be discussed without judgment, and she is an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist and ally. Virginia emphasizes social justice, authenticity, and each person’s right to self-determination, working collaboratively to support, expand perspectives, and build skills to manage stressors and move toward wellness.

Approaches and Online Therapy to Support Change

Virginia uses client-centered therapy to create a supportive space where the person is seen as the expert on their own life - the therapist listens deeply, reflects the client's strengths, and helps guide choices that align with personal values. This approach is helpful for people facing relationship challenges, life transitions, and identity questions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. It is practical and goal-oriented, and can be effective for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life changes.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. DBT skills can support people dealing with intense emotions, relationship conflicts, or difficulties managing impulsive behaviors.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. The therapist will collaborate with each person to explore which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences, and adapt techniques over time to fit the client's circumstances.

Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options allow scheduling around work and family commitments, support continuity when travel or relocation occurs, and make it easier to access care from home. Licensed professionals can deliver the same therapeutic approaches online, tailoring sessions to what works best for the individual.