Clinical Social Work focuses on the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being of individuals, groups, families, and those in relationships, often in private practice, community mental health, hospital, school, substance treatment and agency settings. This specialty area of social work is social justice oriented, culturally-responsive, upholds ethical standards set by the National Association of Social Workers, and centers on a holistic approach to psychotherapy and the client’s relationship to their environment. Psychotherapy within clinical social work helps to resolve symptoms of mental illness, psychosocial stressors, relationship issues, and difficulty coping in the social environment. Clinical social work behavioral health practitioners seek to involve the influence of the environment, communities and social systems on mental health and wellness.

​Heather Valdez’s, LCSW, psychosocial approach to therapy helps to identify and deconstruct oppressive systems and societal influences that can impact mental health and wellness. She is culturally-responsive, and has worked extensively with LGBTQIA+ populations and communities of color, both of which she identifies with. Heather incorporates trauma-informed, harm reduction, insight-oriented, relational, solution-focused, strengths-based, and mindfulness interventions into her practice, as well as the integration of non-ordinary states of consciousness.