- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Client-centered approach
- Existential themes
About James
Dr. James Ruby is an LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) with 22 years of clinical experience based in Hawaii. He works with adults on concerns such as relationships, grief, coping with life changes, stress, anxiety, addictions, intimacy issues, parenting, career questions, depression, ADHD, and life purpose. He also addresses caregiver stress, communication problems, divorce and separation, family-of-origin issues, and hospice or end-of-life concerns.
James frames therapy around helping people notice how past patterns influence current choices. He explains that past learning can feel like fixed truth, yet those thoughts and beliefs can shift. Sessions focus on identifying unhelpful patterns and practicing different ways of responding that move toward the goals the person sets.
He uses a mix of approaches in conversation and practice. That can include work on personal values and committed action, open listening that centers the person's perspective, and exploring deeper emotional or relational themes from earlier life. Occasionally he offers short questionnaires or between-session exercises people can try to test new habits.
In sessions he talks plainly about feelings, thoughts, and behavior. He encourages small experiments and practical steps rather than only long discussion. He has experience helping people through grief, major life transitions, and the stresses of caregiving.
James accepts international clients and conducts work in English. To start, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session. Fees vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How therapeutic approaches guide online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying what matters to a person and taking small actions toward those values while learning to live with difficult thoughts and feelings. It can help when someone feels stuck after a change in work, relationships, or health.Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening closely to the person’s experience and reflecting it back without directing the outcome. This approach is useful for people who want a space to sort through feelings and decide what matters next.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful. That conversation guides whether more values-based work, open listening, or deeper exploration of earlier life themes will be used.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current online session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy life, for example by saving commute time, allowing shorter check-ins on a break, or letting someone join from a quieter location. Licensed professionals often adapt tools and exercises used in person to work well across distance, and practical homework or brief questionnaires can be shared between meetings to keep momentum.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
22+ years
Listed in
Hawaii, Iowa
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does he address?
He works with relationship problems, grief, coping with life changes, stress, anxiety, addictions, intimacy concerns, parenting and life purpose among other areas.
How would he approach feeling stuck or directionless?
He helps people notice past patterns that shape current choices and uses values-based work and practical experiments to try different ways forward.
What is his professional background?
He has 22 years of experience as a mental health counselor and has worked with individuals, couples, and families since 1998.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
He is an LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) licensed in IA and HI and is located in Hawaii.
Can I work with him if I live outside the US?
He accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English.
What session formats are offered?
Session formats are not specified in the biography; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Fees vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Begin by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.