I was referred to Dr. Valerie Hearn by a friend of mine when I was going through a rough patch years ago after a break-up with Mr. Wrong. I had tried therapy in the past but didn't get any benefit from the therapist's passive approach. Dr. Hearn was just what I needed. We talked about my childhood and past but didn't dwell on it... right away she helped me focus on the present and developing the tools I needed to get out of my habit of repeating the same relationship over and over again. She is a licensed psychologist who comes from the cognitive behavioral therapy perspective, and I think this approach really clicked for me. She is wonderfully empathetic and caring, but she also offers great wisdom and guidance in dealing with what's happening in your life TODAY. There are several things I learned from her that I will carry with me always. Valerie helped pull me out of a dark place when I first starting seeing her. She coached me through dating and saw me through a new relationship and break-up with Mr. Wrong Part Deux. She was endlessly encouraging as I went through the online dating process. For the first time in my life, I learned to ask for what I needed in a relationship and took responsibility for my actions. I am absolutely convinced that working with Valerie helped me find the way to my current happiness... I found Mr. Right at last, yes on the internet, and am now married with a beautiful baby boy. Of course, my then-boyfriend-now-husband and I did some sessions with Valerie prior to getting married... couples counseling is another one of her many gifts. read more

Before I started seeing Valerie, I was in the midst of a messy break-up. Although I felt skeptical about the benefits of therapy, I knew my life needed a change: Brooding on the bad things, second-guessing myself, wallowing in regret and wondering helplessly about "what might have been" had become exhausting! I was desperate to move on, and take control of my anxieties. Within just a few weeks, Valerie helped me recover the self-confidence and optimism that I once thought the world had beaten out of me for good! She's not only helped me be more assertive socially, she's helped me repair my love life. Furthermore, with her help, I've been getting along with my family better than ever before. What I think I like most about Valerie is that - as other reviewers have mentioned - she's not passive. Sure, she's a good listener, she's attentive, and she's compassionate, but she's also very clear and direct and precise in the way she communicates her understanding of the situation. I leave every session feeling refreshed. Thanks, Valerie! read more

Valerie deserves more than 5 stars! She is the most wonderful therapist. She was able to guide me through family, relationship, and general life issues and all parts of my life are stronger after seeing her for about a year. What I liked most is how direct and practical her advice is. She gives her opinion in a caring and warm way, and gives great reading recommendations so you can continue to learn outside of sessions. She has absolutely renewed my confidence in my relationships and in myself, and I feel at ease knowing I can continue to strengthen the relationships I have with a new set of skills that I have learned. I started going to Valerie because of all of the great Yelp reviews I had read, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. I recommend her to any of my friends going through a tough time or who just need some help navigating difficult situations. She is the best! read more

Being new to one on one therapy, I was going to be skeptical of my first session and the tangible impact it could have on my life. The first thing I noticed during my first session with Valerie is that she made me feel extremely comfortable. As someone who hates sharing their feelings, she gave me a safe space to open up while also guiding me through my own emotions which I did not understand. Additionally, Valerie provided incredible literature and resources/exercises to help me with my issues; being a very logical person, i found these resources invaluable to enhancing the positive impact I was already receiving from my sessions. Valerie is professional, courteous, and most of all she genuinely cares. I would recommend her to anyone seeking some emotional guidance through life. I plan on continuing to have sessions with Valerie when I can. read more

I started seeing Dr. Valerie Hearn a few months ago. I wanted to do some work on myself and needed help in getting out of a relationship that wasn't healthy for me. Valerie has helped me a lot. She taught me to check in with myself and think about what I need and what I deserve. She also encourages me to be a stronger and more assertive person. Valerie has me constantly reading books about how my thoughts (especially very old ones) affect the way I feel. I am now changing a lot of those thinking patterns and as a result, I feel a lot more happy and optimistic about my life. Sometimes it is hard to look in the mirror and change bad habits, but if you are ready to make changes for the better, I think Dr. Hearn can really help you. read more

I started seeing Valerie after a very difficult break up. I felt lost, confused, and had no idea what to do with myself! Working with Valerie has helped me rebuild my life. We focused on recovering from the break up, dealing with family issues, and how to manage anxiety. I went from dreading the future to being excited for positive things to happen. As a result of her help, I recently quit a job that I had wanted to leave for a long time, but didn't have the courage to. I am now happy with a new job, and happy being single, which I never thought was possible. In a short amount of time, she has helped me grow as a person and find my confidence again. read more

OMG, I owe so much to Dr. Valerie! She is, hands down, the best individual and couples therapist around. I have sent so many friends to her, and we all rave. She's smart and no-nonsense, yet compassionate, and she gives you powerful tools and strategies that really work. She is an expert at relationship and anxiety counseling. I've gone from dead end jobs and painful relationships to happily married and back in college, because of the work we've done. We broke down my old patterns and tapes and restored my natural confidence--It's been over ten years since we met and started working together, and I can still call her or email her today to share a triumph or a loss. Dr. Valerie did couples work with my spouse and I before our wedding, and then she came to the ceremony and danced to our happiness! You could not find a better therapist to help you deal with depression, anxiety, family, relationships, or even business and career goals. Call her today and watch your life change. read more

My fiance and I have been seeing Dr. Hearn for a couple of months now for premarital counseling. We LOVE Dr. Hearn and have truly benefited SO much from our sessions with her. Since she specializes in both relationships and cognitive behavioral therapy, it's a great style of counseling for us. We work on our relationship skills together as a couple and have homework assignments in between sessions. Definitely a very pragmatic and doable approach to self-improvement...it has really strengthened our communication and how we relate to one another! It's just great and I would highly recommend her to any couple looking to enhance their relationship before (or after) they tie the knot! read more

Valerie Hearn will change your life. You could not find a better therapist to help you with relationships, anxiety, grief, family issues, etc. Valerie does much more than listen, she teaches you tools to change your life. Thanks to Valerie, I gained the self confidence I needed to really put myself out there and take a chance on finding love. Now, I'm getting married in August. I found Valerie through a friend who handed me her card saying "This is the best gift I'm ever going to give you." She was 100% right. read more

Valerie is an exceptional person, a terrific therapist and has been a tremendously positive influence on my life over the course of the last year. When I started to see Valerie I came in feeling 40% of my former self and defeated, suffering through a divorce from an emotionally abusive marriage that left me with little love for myself. During our time together, Valerie was attentive, proactive and direct, empathetically listening to my struggles while simultaneously making suggestions to improve and grow. Her straight forward approach gave me the tools and methods I needed to become more assertive in all of my relationships, manage my anxiety and (most importantly) to love myself. I feel very fortunate to have found Valerie on Yelp and have recommended her to all of my friends and colleagues seeking help. Her advice continues to ring true as I encounter new obstacles and conflicts in life and I often find myself returning to session entries and notes to gain insight on new situations. Though I have since moved to Los Angeles, I continue to call and counsel with Valerie as she has been such an invaluable source of guidance. Thanks to her I now feel 150%! Thank you, Valerie, for all you do! read more

After dating on and off (i.e. volatile relationship) for 3 years, we got engaged, we continued to have issues - We spent just 3-4 months seeing Valerie once per week and it literally changed our relationship forever. The amazing help and fundamental improvement Valerie provided was nothing short of incredible. I am not a big therapy/counseling believer - but I can tell you there is no way possible we would have made it without seeing Valerie - she is very talented, straightforward, non-judgemental and very very good at what she does. I recommend her 100% for anybody considering getting married or having relationship issues. read more

I don't ever write reviews, but I opened a yelp account just so i could tell all you good people about how great Valerie is. I've been to see my share of therapists, and she is the first one who is really actually helping me. finally! she is a compassionate and patient listener and creates a truly judgment-free environment. but she's also an active participant in the patient's progress--she recommends good books, assigns homework to keep the healing process active, and gives insightful feedback. go see her. she will help you. i promise. read more