Therapist profile
Sharmen Rutherford, LPC-MHSP, LPC
Alabama
Licensed counselor - Addiction and trauma
Continue with SharmenWhere Sharmen stands
- Credentials
- LPC-MHSP, LPC
- License
- LPC, Alabama / 4335; LPC-MHSP, Tennessee / 6766
- NPI
- 1821697848
- Experience
- 16 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- Alabama
About
- Codependency support
- CBT and ACT methods
- Eating and grief work
About Sharmen
Sharmen Rutherford is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health Service Provider (LPC-MHSP) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with 16 years of experience in Alabama. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, eating concerns, depression, relationship issues, grief, sleep problems, anger, low self-esteem, career strain, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. Her practice includes work around attachment, body image, codependency, and family of origin issues among other areas.
She uses an active, skills-focused approach in sessions. That means practical strategies and straightforward conversation. She draws from methods such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and mindfulness to help people manage symptoms and make concrete changes.
In early sessions she listens for what matters most and helps set short-term goals. That may include learning tools to reduce anxiety, spotting patterns that keep people stuck, or building limits with others. She also brings experience working with addiction and trauma-related concerns and supports people dealing with grief and major life changes.
Her work includes attention to codependency and attachment patterns that show up in relationships. She helps people notice where they give too much of themselves, practice saying no, and reclaim personal priorities. Sessions often mix skill practice, reflective talk, and planning for real-life situations.
She practices in Alabama and offers sessions in English. Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and values, then taking small actions that matter. It can help with anxiety, depression, codependency patterns, and making choices that fit personal priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches specific skills to change unhelpful patterns. It is useful for anxiety, mood problems, sleep issues, and many everyday struggles.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try methods that match those goals, and adjust as progress and preferences become clearer. That collaborative process helps people see which techniques fit their life and which need changing.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, shorten travel time, and allow for quick check-ins during a work break or between appointments. They also let people work from a quieter spot when they have limited time, or focus on skills practice without added commuting. Ask about exact session formats and scheduling when completing the matching questionnaire.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
16+ years
Listed in
Alabama, Tennessee
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma, eating issues, depression, relationship and grief concerns, sleep and anger difficulties, self-esteem, career strain, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and related problems.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She uses practical, skills-focused methods drawn from ACT, CBT, DBT, client-centered work, and mindfulness to help people manage symptoms and try new ways of relating.
How much experience does she have?
She has 16 years of clinical experience working with addictions, co-occurring disorders, trauma, eating concerns, anxiety, depression, self-harm, school pressures, and grief.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds the credentials LPC-MHSP and LPC and practices in Alabama. The credential LPC-MHSP is shown in full as Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health Service Provider.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she see clients outside the U.S.?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe at home, use the crisis and helpline numbers.