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Calm has teamed up with Grow Therapy to connect you with a mental health therapist who accepts your health insurance.

Licensed to practice in California and accepts 57 insurances. Specializes in Addiction, Depression, LGBTQ and 6 more.

Valerie Handlers

LCSW, 43 years of experience
Authentic
Solution oriented
Direct
VirtualAvailable

About me

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California with over 40 years of experience supporting adults through anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, and relationship challenges. I have extensive experience working with survivors of domestic violence, as well as individuals navigating complex life patterns shaped by past experiences. I specialize in working with adults, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, and provide a supportive, affirming space where clients can show up as they are. I also work with couples on occasion. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I bring both professional and lived understanding to this work. My approach is warm, compassionate, and direct. I believe therapy should be both supportive and effective—while you will always be heard and understood, I also actively engage in sessions to help you move forward. I won’t let you stay stuck. Together, we’ll break challenges down into manageable steps, build practical tools, and create meaningful, lasting change at a pace that feels right for you. I draw from a range of evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), psychodynamic therapy, and mindfulness-based techniques. I often incorporate structured exercises and between-session practices to help you apply what we discuss in real life, while remaining flexible and responsive to your individual needs. Clients often appreciate that I am clear, consistent, and gently persistent—I will meet you where you are, while continuing to support and encourage your growth, even when things feel difficult or overwhelming. My goal is to help you build insight, resilience, and confidence so you can create a more stable, fulfilling, and peaceful life. I am committed to practicing with empathy, respect, and without judgment, honoring each person’s dignity and lived experience. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you. Option to insert (after paragraph 2):

Get to know me

In our first session together, here's what you can expect

The first session will mostly be history taking of things such as family history, substance use, and past therapy treatment. During the session we will discuss your current concern as time allows. Most importantly we will discover if we both feel a connection in order to begin the process of developing a therapeutic relationship.

The treatment methods and tools I utilize

Psychodynamic techniques, cognitive behavioral techniques, motivational interviewing, person-centered techniques, and solution focused techniques.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

I love working with clients who want to overcome addiction. I discovered that I was a great substance abuse counselor because I was compassionate and direct. I also think I work well with people who are suffering with depression because I have overcome my own depression.

Specialties

Top specialties

Addiction

Depression

LGBTQ

Other specialties

Anger Management

Anxiety

Coping Skills

Grief

Self Esteem

Women's Issues

Identifies as

Jewish

LGBTQ

White

Woman

Serves ages

Adults (18 to 64)

Elders (65 and above)

Licensed in

California

Accepts

Aetna

Aetna - ASR Health Benefits

Aetna - Allied Benefits

Aetna - Lucent Health

Aetna - Luminare

Aetna - Medicare

Aetna - Moda

Aetna - WebTPA

Aetna – HealthEZ

All Savers

Amerihealth Administrators

Amerihealth NJ Medicare Advantage

Anthem

Blue Cross

Independence Administrators

Independence Blue Cross

Arlo

AvMed

Blue Shield

Blue Shield of California - Medicare

Independence Personal Choice 65 PPO

Independence Keystone 65 HMO

Carelon Behavioral Health (Commercial)

Sutter Health Plan

IHSS Healthy Workers

Cash - $120 per session

Centivo

Cigna

Cigna - HealthEZ

EAP:Cigna

EAP:Evernorth

EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum

Evernorth

GTEB

Golden Rule

Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare

Humana - Medicare

Humana Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)

L.A. Care PASC-SEIU

L.A. Care Covered

L.A. Care Covered Direct

UnitedHealthcare/Optum

Optum

OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions

Oscar

Oxford

Scripps Health Plan

Sharp Health Plan

Surest (formerly Bind)

Tufts Health/Cigna

United Medical Resources

UnitedHealthcare Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)

UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance

UnitedHealthcare Shared Services

UnitedHealthcare StudentResources

UnitedHealthcare/Optum - Medicare

UnitedHealthcare Complete Care (C-SNP)

Location

Virtual

, 23 ratings

3 ratings with written reviews

July 29, 2026

Valerie is an exceptional therapist who is compassionate, insightful, and genuinely invested in her clients' growth. She helped me through one of the most difficult periods of my life with incredible compassion, wisdom, and unwavering support. She created a safe space where I felt heard while also challenging me to grow and heal. I'm incredibly grateful for her guidance and highly recommend her to anyone looking for meaningful, lasting change.

Verified client, age 25-34
Review shared after session 5 with Valerie

July 24, 2026

Valerie had quite a few suggestions that were great in order for for me moving forward in my life

Verified client, age 65+
Review shared after session 1 with Valerie

June 28, 2026

Valerie's responses to me are the type of feedback that I need, to process how other people perceive me. Many of my problems come from how I come across to others, even if I am misunderstood. When she stops me and says, "ok, this is what I am hearing and this is what I think ... " her commentary reassured me that maybe there is a mismatch between my values and those of the folks who surround me (those weren't her words) but clarity did and will prevail with her. Not for self-centered clients.

Verified client, age 45-54
Review shared after session 1 with Valerie