Sharmen Rutherford, LPC-MHSP, LPC

Sharmen Rutherford is a licensed counselor serving clients in Alabama and Tennessee with 16 years of clinical experience. She holds an LPC-MHSP and an LPC - both designations that indicate credentialing as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Mental Health Service Provider. Sharmen meets people where they are during difficult seasons of life and works alongside them to restore balance, build resilience, and develop practical coping skills.

Her practice addresses a wide range of concerns, including addictions and co-occurring disorders, anxiety and depression, trauma and PTSD, eating and food-related issues, self-harm, school pressures, grief, relationship and family difficulties, and challenges with sleep, anger, and self-esteem. She also works with clients facing life transitions, career stresses, attention and focus concerns, and compassion fatigue. Sharmen blends evidence-based methods with a client-centered stance to tailor care to each person’s needs.

Sharmen aims to create a collaborative therapeutic relationship that emphasizes hope, encouragement, and skill-building so clients can move toward a more sustainable and fulfilling future. She invites prospective clients to explore how therapy can support their goals and to begin a process of steady change.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients clarify personal values and take meaningful action even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present - it is often useful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and teaches practical strategies to change them, which can help with anxiety, mood concerns, and coping with stress. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a collaborative, respectful relationship in which the therapist offers empathy and support while clients explore their goals and strengths.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Sharmen collaborates with each person to determine which methods fit best with their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts strategies over time as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers flexibility to meet people where they are through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life changes, and access consistent support from licensed professionals and therapists who work collaboratively with clients.