Ruth Stoan, LPC

Ruth Stoan is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with 35 years of experience helping people navigate major life shifts. She encourages those who have already taken the step of reaching out and offers steady, practical support for change. Ruth draws on a variety of methods to help clients discover new ways forward and build the life they want.

She has a Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Over her career she has worked in private practice, community agencies, and care facilities. That background includes work with grief and loss, addictions, relationship concerns, and issues related to aging and changing family roles.

Ruth often supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, and questions about identity or purpose. She highlights work with LGBT matters, career transitions, intimacy and relationship challenges, and compassion fatigue. She also addresses concerns such as codependency, body image, abandonment, and end-of-life counseling.

In sessions she mixes practical skills with mindful practices. Breath work, relaxation, imagery, and clearing limiting beliefs are among the tools she may use alongside talk-based approaches. Sessions aim to identify immediate problems and the deeper patterns that keep them repeating.

Ruth prefers video sessions to help build rapport, but also uses phone and text when that fits a client better. Scheduling includes weekdays, some evenings, and occasional Saturdays by request. International clients can be seen, and sessions are conducted in English.

How therapeutic approaches shape online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It helps people move toward what matters to them, even when emotions are difficult. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thinking and behavior and teaches practical skills to change them, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Client-Centered Therapy centers on the person in the room, emphasizing empathy, active listening, and the client’s own goals to guide the process.

Choosing the right approach is part of therapy itself. Ruth will work collaboratively to identify which methods fit a person's needs and goals. Together they will try things, see what helps, and adjust the plan as needed so the work feels relevant and manageable.

Many people find online work easier to fit into a busy week. It can reduce travel time and make scheduling across time zones simpler. Ruth has said she finds video sessions helpful for building connection, and she also uses phone and text when that better suits a client. Confirm the current session options during the booking process so you know what will work for your schedule and daily life.