Clara Ruthinoski, LMSW
Supervisee in Clinical Social Work
In-person at Alexandria, with telehealth across Virginia
Meet Clara
Clara works with children, teens, and adults navigating anxiety, depression, mood concerns, relationship and family challenges, stress, school concerns, self-esteem, behavioral issues, and major life transitions. Her approach is collaborative, compassionate, and centered on creating a space where clients feel safe, respected, and actively involved in their own growth.
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Therapy takes courage, effort, and vulnerability, and Clara believes a strong therapeutic relationship can make that process feel more manageable.
She works to meet clients where they are, offering support and guidance without taking away their sense of autonomy.
Clara especially enjoys working with children and adolescents and has a knack for connecting with younger clients who may initially feel resistant to therapy or hesitant about opening up to adults.
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Anxiety & depression
Bipolar & other mood concerns
Relationship & family issues
Stress
School concerns
Self-esteem
Behavioral concerns
Life transitions
Trauma-related concerns
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Clara takes a client-centered approach to therapy, with an emphasis on trust, collaboration, and adapting the work to the needs of each person.
Her approach may incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Play Therapy, and mindfulness techniques.
She believes therapy should make room for both difficult emotions and practical change, helping clients better understand what they’re experiencing while developing tools they can use outside of sessions.
Creativity and compassion are also important parts of Clara’s work, particularly when helping children and teens feel comfortable engaging in the therapeutic process.
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Clara earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice from The George Washington University and her Master of Social Work from Fordham University.
Her professional experience includes working with children, adolescents, older adults, individuals with disabilities, and families across schools, hospitals, and inpatient behavioral health settings.
She has also completed training in trauma-focused and trauma-informed treatment.
Clara is currently especially interested in expanding her training in approaches such as Exposure & Response Prevention for OCD and EMDR for PTSD.
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Clara is thoroughly outnumbered by the three cats in her house.
She also spent three years living on the Upper East Side in New York City — xoxo, Gossip Girl.
And there is almost always some kind of crafting project in progress at home.
Ready to get started?
Our First Impressions Team can answer your questions, walk you through next steps, and help connect you with the Healthy Minds provider who may be the best fit for your needs.