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Virginia Ballantyne, LCSW

Experienced mental health professional

Provides online counseling through BetterHelp

At a glance

Virginia is an experienced, licensed Mental Health Professional who specializes in affordable online therapy offered through our partner, BetterHelp.

4.5 stars
Clients are very satisfied with Virginia. View 18 reviews
Speaks English
Offers Telehealth visits
Licensed in California

Recent reviews

Virginia is an amazing therapist. I appreciate her knowledge, warmth, compassion, empathy, and thoughtful challenging. I am so thankful to have been matched with her. I highly recommend Virginia!

Reviewed May 2022

Virginia has been helping me a great deal these past few months. She gives me a better perspective on what I’m presenting to her and offers solutions and compassionate feedback.

Reviewed March 2022

More about Virginia

  • 10 years' experience
  • Female
  • LCSW

PLEASE NOTE: If this is an emergency, call 9-1-1. I generally check messages here a few times per day and will respond as quickly as I can. I am currently accepting new clients who RESIDE IN CALIFORNIA. I am available for sessions BY PHONE, VIDEO or LIVE CHAT.

Hello and Welcome! Let me introduce myself. I am Virginia A. Ballantyne, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW #98267). I identify as a bi-racial woman and my pronouns are She/Her. My specialties include working with people who have experienced intimate partner violence, trauma/PTSD, anxiety and depression, or grew up in an environment where they were negatively impacted by a family member's substance use or mental illness.

I have received training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, as well as Solution Focused Therapy. I practice from a strengths-based, client-centered approach that focuses on empowering each person to access their inner wisdom and move toward mental wellness. My counseling style is non-judgmental and my theoretical orientation is best described as humanistic/eclectic and unique to each person’s situation and background.

I provide a sex positive environment where issues around sexual intimacy, sexual identity, and sexual desires can be discussed without judgement. I consider myself to be an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist and an ally for LGBTQ+ individuals and sexual/gender minorities. I have many years of experience working with a variety of disadvantaged populations through work in both non-profit and county services. I value social justice, authenticity, and each person’s right to self-determination.

I will provide you with support, help you consider different perspectives, and we will work together as a team to help you develop new skills to help you manage stressors and live your best life! Are you ready to get started? Let’s connect. I look forward to working with you.

Specialties

Relationship issues Trauma and abuse Career difficulties Depression Coping with life changes Stress Anxiety Addictions LGBT Family conflicts Grief Parenting issues Anger management Adoption and foster care BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture Blended family issues Caregiver issues and stress Codependency Communication problems Control issues Divorce and separation Domestic violence Drug and alcohol addiction Family of origin issues Family problems First responder issues Gender dysphoria HIV / AIDS Jealousy Money and financial issues Mood disorders Panic disorder and panic attacks Paranoia Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships Postpartum depression Post-traumatic stress Pregnancy and childbirth Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Sexual assault and abuse Sexuality Women's issues Workplace issues Young adult issues

Treatment Approaches

  • Client-Centered Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Therapy
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Trauma-Focused Therapy

Licenses

Virginia Ballantyne's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1932509064.

  • LCSW · California · 98267 · Expires November 2026

About online counseling

Affordable.
Pay a low flat fee.
Convenient.
Do it at your own time and at your own pace. Communicate whenever you feel it's needed.
Available now.
There is no waiting list and no calls to make. Simply fill out a short questionnaire and send your first message.

Online counseling allows you to receive care from a mental health practitioner via phone, video chat, or instant messaging. It is convenient for those who may have trouble getting to or would prefer not to have in-person therapy appointments. Starting at $65 per week, online counseling is generally more affordable than in-person counseling. A study by researchers at University of California, Berkeley found that online counseling can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy while being more convenient, affordable, and accessible.

Reviews for Virginia Ballantyne

All reviews have been submitted by clients after seeing the provider.

Overall rating:

4.5

18 reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Clients mention: Amazing Recommend Helpful Empathetic Great Comfortable Grateful Helped Insightful Knowledgeable

Virginia is an amazing therapist. I appreciate her knowledge, warmth, compassion, empathy, and thoughtful challenging. I am so thankful to have been matched with her. I highly recommend Virginia!

Reviewed May 2022

Virginia has been helping me a great deal these past few months. She gives me a better perspective on what I’m presenting to her and offers solutions and compassionate feedback.

Reviewed March 2022

Virginia is an angel of a therapist. Her expertise shines through and she really makes you feel heard and understood. I would recommend her highly.

Reviewed January 2022

Virginia is informative, considerate, validating, and easy to talk to. She’s incredibly insightful and prompt in responding. I appreciate her helpful guidance with any issues I am experiencing. I am so grateful that I was matched with her!

Reviewed January 2022

Virginia is thoughtful, understanding, and has a real knowledge of trauma and how it can affect you. After working through the initial crisis that brought me to therapy, we've been able to talk about setting up goals for ongoing therapy and I'm doing a lot better. I feel truly understood and heard when we speak and I'm able to express the things that are going on in my life without any judgment.

Reviewed December 2021

Virginia is the counselor I wish I'd had growing up as a teen. I feel seen and understood. I truly value the safe space she has created for me to unburden and unravel the uglier parts of my life that I need to work through and heal, as well as friendly encouragement and different perspectives she can offer.

Reviewed July 2021

An amazing therapist. She is able to offer great advice and just wonderful support. I couldn’t recommend her enough.

Reviewed July 2021

From a few sessions we have had I have feel like she understands my situation and has great recommendations. She also explains everything thoroughly and follows up every time. I really appreciate her tone when we speak and just makes our sessions as calm and comfortable space.

Reviewed June 2021

She has been very helpful. I was at a loss without her for the last 3 months. I like the way she has kept in contact.

Reviewed May 2021

This is my first time with a therapist and i was nervous but Virginia makes me feel extremely comfortable. I have unlocked and fixed some of my issues and this is only the beginning

Reviewed April 2021

Virginia is amazing!

Reviewed March 2021

Virginia is a spectacular therapist. She knows how to be professional whilst being relatable and fun to talk to. I always look forward to our sessions.

Reviewed March 2021

Virginia is very attentive and responds in a timely manner. She is very professional and is extremely helpful and insightful. I really appreciate her. I am working with her on my traumas, anxiety, and relationship issues it has been a short period of time but so far so good.

Reviewed March 2021

Ms. Ballantyne is wonderful, she is kind and patient and really helps me understand the trauma I have. She is amazing to talk to because she genuinely wants to help.

Reviewed March 2021

Virginia was extremely helpful as a my counsellor. She was incredibly knowledgeable and complemented that with an empathetic and non-judgemental nature. She able to grasp the core issue and helped me worked through it as a coach without actually telling me what to do. I would highly and unreservedly recommend Virginia to anyone who needs therapy.

Reviewed January 2021

Virginia is absolutely fantastic, extremely understanding, empathetic, and has a way with words that is NEVER suggests judgement, sheer criticism, or anything of the negative sort. Amazing counselor!

Reviewed January 2021

I appreciate how she gave me the chance to just vent. she didn’t make me feel like she was a doctor, just a super supportive friend which i appreciate :)

Reviewed January 2021

I feel understood, validated and challenged by Virginia's feedback. I've only seen her for a few weeks but I really look forward to growing as a person through therapy with her

Reviewed December 2020

How was your experience with Virginia?

Frequently asked questions

Does Virginia Ballantyne offer telehealth visits?

Yes. Virginia Ballantyne works with clients by exchanging messages, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing based on what works for the client at that particular time.

What language(s) does Virginia Ballantyne speak?

Virginia Ballantyne speaks English.

How many years of experience does Virginia Ballantyne have?

Virginia Ballantyne has 10 years of experience.

Where is Virginia Ballantyne licensed to practice?

Virginia Ballantyne is licensed to practice in California.

Does Virginia Ballantyne accept clients outside of the United States?

No, Virginia Ballantyne does not accept clients outside of the United States.

Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?

Numerous studies support the effectiveness of online platforms in facilitating life changes. For instance, research published by JMIR Publications, conducted by teams from the University of Berkeley, UCSF, and SF General Hospital, found that "users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform."

What treatment approaches does Virginia Ballantyne offer?

Virginia Ballantyne offers clients Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Therapy.

How can I communicate with Virginia Ballantyne?

Virginia Ballantyne can be engaged in any one of four ways: (1) Exchanging messages, (2) chatting live, (3) speaking over the phone, or (4) video conferencing. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience.

How do I get started with Virginia Ballantyne?

Just tap the CHAT NOW button or tap here: A new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.

Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable.

And recovery is possible.

Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video

When you tap CHAT NOW a new window will open and you'll be directed to a simple form that will help start the conversation. Please note: It can take up to a few days to be matched to a therapist.