Sharmen Rutherford , LPC-MHSP, LPC

Sharmen Rutherford is a licensed counselor who helps people navigate difficult, confusing, or overwhelming seasons of life by offering practical tools and emotional support. With 16 years of clinical experience, she works with individuals facing addictions, co-occurring disorders, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, eating concerns, self-harm, school pressures, and other life challenges. She aims to bring strength, hope, and encouragement while equipping clients to build a healthier future.

She holds dual licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health Service Provider (LPC-MHSP) and as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and she also holds certification as an Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, which denotes specialized training in substance use treatment. In addition, she is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, trained to address trauma-related issues, and she is currently pursuing an Eating Disorders Specialist certification.

Sharmen maintains professional memberships with several associations related to addiction, trauma, and eating disorders, reflecting her ongoing commitment to current best practices. She approaches care with a blend of evidence-based methods and a client-centered attitude, aiming to build a collaborative therapeutic relationship that supports lasting change and improved well-being.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Sharmen Rutherford

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take action toward a meaningful life even when difficult thoughts and feelings are present. ACT is useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes because it emphasizes acceptance and committed behavior change.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and adjusting unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. It is practical and skills oriented, often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and sleep difficulties to produce measurable changes in daily functioning.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines skills training in emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. It is particularly helpful for intense emotions, patterns of self-harm, and relationship challenges.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Sharmen works collaboratively with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences, then tailors techniques from these and other methods to create a plan that fits the individual.

Online sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging make it easier to access consistent care without travel. These options provide flexibility for scheduling, allow therapy to fit into busy lives, and help people maintain continuity of support with licensed professionals and therapists regardless of location.