Valorie brings a deep clinical acumen, and a well-rounded therapeutic skill set shaped by
rigorous training and experience. She began her clinical development with a psychotherapy
internship followed by a prestigious Fellowship in clinical social work through the Menninger
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston,
TX. Throughout her training at the Baylor Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic—where psychodynamic
psychotherapy formed the primary clinical framework, Valorie demonstrated a strong aptitude
for conceptualizing complex psychological issues, while also building a solid foundation in
cognitive behavioral therapy.
Her involvement in intensive, three-day outpatient psychiatric assessments (Focal Evaluations)
honed her diagnostic precision and ability to synthesize psychological data into clear, meaningful
insights for patients and families. Valorie excels in helping others make sense of psychological
complexity, offering thoughtful, tailored recommendations that connect patients with the
specialized care they need.
Valorie’s expertise in personality dynamics has been further enriched through an ongoing
consultation relationship with internationally recognized psychoanalytic expert Jonathan Shedler,
PhD. Her work with Dr. Shedler has deepened her clinical lens for identifying how personality
traits and coping patterns shape emotional struggles. She has a refined ability to detect when
adaptive strategies have turned maladaptive, recognizing them not as flaws, but as creative, albeit
ineffective, responses to underlying emotional pain. This nuanced understanding informs
Valorie’s therapeutic approach, allowing her to identify the roots of depression and anxiety
within each patient’s unique psychological landscape. Her appreciation for the interplay between
personality, relationships, and functioning enables her to craft interventions that resonate with the
lived experiences of those she works with, whether in their home, school, or professional
environments.
Valorie’s continued training includes:
– Intensive training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy through Behavioral Tech
– Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Academic Fellowship at the Center for Psychoanalytic
– Studies (CFPS-Houston).
– Training in the Mentalizing approach
– Multicultural implications in theoretical psychodynamics
– Extensive training in group psychotherapy (Certified Group Psychotherapist)
Ultimately, Valorie brings a wealth of theoretical, clinical, and experiential understanding from
behavioral and skills-based approaches coupled with psychoanalytic informed psychotherapy.
She brings an expertise in diagnostic formulation, which helps guide the ways in which the
Petoskey team understands and engages with each of our patients.
For more information about Valorie, click here.