James Rusk, LICSW

James Rusk, LICSW, brings 17 years of clinical experience working with diverse populations across agency, private practice, and medical settings. As a licensed clinical social worker, he combines a Narrative therapy stance with principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and psychodynamic ideas to guide clients through complex life challenges. He is based in West Virginia and offers support for concerns such as stress, anxiety, family issues, grief, addictions, relationship and intimacy difficulties, parenting challenges, self-esteem, career transitions, bipolar disorder, depression, and compassion fatigue.

Rusk views one central life task as making meaning from experience, whether those experiences are judged as positive or negative. He emphasizes how the stories people tell about their past and future shape current feelings and sense of direction. At the same time, he highlights the importance of being present with what is happening now - a stance that often reduces needless struggle with one's own experience and improves feelings of competence and well-being.

He approaches therapy as a collaborative partnership in which the client is the expert on their own life and the therapist offers narrative, psychodynamic, and ACT-informed lenses to explore options without imposing an agenda of "shoulds." He welcomes clients who are willing to engage with the material of their inner life, even when that engagement feels anxious or difficult.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

James Rusk integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy into his online practice. ACT involves learning to notice and make space for difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to actions that reflect personal values - an approach often helpful for stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathetic listening and nonjudgmental support so clients can lead the exploration of their concerns and build self-trust, which can be useful for relationship issues, self-esteem, and parenting challenges. Mindfulness Therapy teaches present-moment awareness and gentle attention to inner experience, supporting clients who want tools for emotion regulation and reducing reactivity.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work itself. James collaborates with each person to identify which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and adjusts the approach over time so therapy stays useful and relevant.

Online sessions - whether by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging - offer practical flexibility for busy lives, allow access for those in different locations, and make it easier to attend consistently. Working online with a licensed professional can support steady progress while accommodating schedules and life responsibilities.