Van Otto
New to Grow
My name is Van, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and an Addictions Counselor Candidate with experience working with adults ages 18 and over. I provide a supportive, compassionate, and professional therapeutic environment for individuals navigating life transitions and ongoing challenges, including work–life imbalance, depression, anxiety, grief, and daily stressors. I have experience supporting clients impacted by dementia, including caregivers, as well as individuals managing substance use concerns. My work is grounded in a collaborative, trusting relationship where clients’ perspectives are respected and clinically validated. Through the use of individualized, evidence-based interventions, my aim is to support insight development, strengthen coping skills, and facilitate meaningful, sustainable change.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In the first session, you can expect a supportive, low-pressure conversation focused on getting to know you and what brings you to therapy. We’ll talk about your goals, current concerns, and relevant background at a pace that feels comfortable, while also reviewing confidentiality and how therapy works. By the end of the session, we’ll begin to identify areas of focus and outline next steps so you leave with clarity and a sense of direction.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
What stands out about my therapeutic approach is the balance of warmth, collaboration, and structure I bring to the work. I integrate evidence-based methods with person-centered and motivational interviewing approaches to help clients feel understood while also moving toward meaningful, practical change. Clients often report gaining clarity, increased confidence in coping skills, and a stronger connection to their values, which supports lasting progress beyond sessions.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I am best positioned to serve adults who are motivated to explore change and deepen self-understanding, particularly those navigating anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, ADHD-related challenges, or substance use concerns. I have a specialty in supporting individuals impacted by dementia, including caregivers experiencing burnout, anticipatory grief, role strain, and emotional overwhelm. I work well with clients who value a collaborative, person-centered approach and want therapy to feel supportive, respectful, and non-judgmental. My style integrates evidence-based approaches with reflective conversation, practical coping strategies, and a strengths-based focus grounded in personal values and resilience.
Location
VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help clients identify and understand unhelpful thought and behavior patterns that impact their emotions and daily functioning. Together, we examine these thoughts with curiosity and evidence, and practice developing more balanced perspectives and practical coping strategies they can use in everyday life.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use ACT to help clients build awareness of their thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, while learning skills to respond with greater flexibility and self-compassion. We focus on clarifying personal values and taking meaningful, values-based actions even in the presence of difficult emotions.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I use DBT to help clients develop practical skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, and improving relationships. Through a balance of acceptance and change, clients learn mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills to support a more stable and fulfilling life.
Motivational Interviewing
I use Motivational Interviewing to create a collaborative, nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard and respected as the experts on their own lives. Through open-ended questions, reflective listening, and affirmations, I help clients explore ambivalence, clarify their values, and strengthen their own motivation for change at a pace that feels authentic and empowering.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I use a person-centered (Rogerian) approach to provide a safe, empathetic, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel deeply heard and accepted. By emphasizing unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathic understanding, I support clients in increasing self-awareness, accessing their inner strengths, and moving toward growth and self-directed change.