- Acceptance and change
- Skill-based work
- Values guided goals
About Sharmen
Sharmen Rutherford is a Licensed Professional Counselor with dual credentials: LPC-MHSP and LPC. She brings 16 years of clinical experience to work with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, and related concerns.
She meets people where they are and focuses on practical steps. Sessions aim to build strength, hope, and everyday tools that make life more manageable. She helps people sort through messy seasons and plan for a clearer future.
Her approach blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy. That mix is used to address addiction, co-occurring disorders, eating-related struggles, grief, self-harm, and life transitions. The work often combines skill practice, values-based planning, and emotion regulation techniques.
Rutherford has experience with first responder issues, compassion fatigue, attachment and family of origin concerns, and relationship or commitment difficulties. She also supports people dealing with body image, codependency, dissociation, and forgiveness work. Her background includes professional membership in addiction and trauma organizations.
Sessions are framed as collaborative and goal-focused. She helps clients identify practical coping strategies and small changes that fit daily life. People are invited to begin by sharing what feels most urgent and to build longer term plans from there.
She meets people where they are and focuses on practical steps. Sessions aim to build strength, hope, and everyday tools that make life more manageable. She helps people sort through messy seasons and plan for a clearer future.
Her approach blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy. That mix is used to address addiction, co-occurring disorders, eating-related struggles, grief, self-harm, and life transitions. The work often combines skill practice, values-based planning, and emotion regulation techniques.
Rutherford has experience with first responder issues, compassion fatigue, attachment and family of origin concerns, and relationship or commitment difficulties. She also supports people dealing with body image, codependency, dissociation, and forgiveness work. Her background includes professional membership in addiction and trauma organizations.
Sessions are framed as collaborative and goal-focused. She helps clients identify practical coping strategies and small changes that fit daily life. People are invited to begin by sharing what feels most urgent and to build longer term plans from there.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
LGBTRelationship issuesGriefSleeping disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
Attachment issuesBody imageCodependencyCommitment issuesControl issuesDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
16+ years
Credentials
Alabama, Tennessee
Languages
English
Therapeutic approaches that translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and major life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and replacing them with more helpful ones, which can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and eating-related concerns.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and will adjust the methods used as needs change. Treatment is collaborative, with plans and exercises tailored to daily life rather than a one-size-fits-all script.
Confirm current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed here. Many people find online sessions make it easier to fit counseling into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Online conversations can also help maintain continuity of care during life transitions, while the therapist and client decide together how to structure sessions for the best practical fit.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does this therapist address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and related areas such as eating issues, grief, anger, and self esteem concerns.
What is her general therapy style?
The style is collaborative and practical, combining acceptance work, cognitive restructuring, mindfulness, and emotion-regulation skills tailored to each person.
How much experience does she have?
She has 16 years of clinical experience working with addiction, co-occurring disorders, trauma, eating-related struggles, and mood concerns.
Where is this therapist licensed and based?
She holds LPC-MHSP and LPC credentials and practices in Alabama.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with this therapist?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are costs and payments handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist arrangements; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with this therapist?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.