Rita Ham , LMHP

Rita Ham brings more than 40 years of clinical experience supporting people facing mental health, substance use, and co-occurring challenges. Her clinical journey began in community-based substance use treatment, where training and work facilitating family interventions shaped a lifelong commitment to helping others navigate recovery and relational concerns. Over the years she has served in residential treatment settings and, since 1995, has focused on outpatient work through community programs.

Credentialed as an LMHP - a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner - Rita also has experience as a licensed drug counselor in Nebraska and held substance use counseling credentials in Kansas earlier in her career. She has worked with individuals, couples, families, and groups across the lifespan, and currently concentrates on adult clients. Her practice draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-informed principles, along with a range of techniques considered best practices for complex presentations.

Rita emphasizes that a diagnosis does not define a person, and she blends skills training with practical tools to address symptoms and daily life challenges. When appropriate and with client consent, she invites involvement from supportive people in a client’s network to strengthen progress. Her approach is warm, interactive, and grounded in respect, compassion, sensitivity, and honesty, with a focus on building a trusting relationship that supports clear goal setting and steady movement toward desired change.

Therapeutic Approaches Applied to Online Care

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - CBT is a practical, evidence-informed approach that helps people identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop skills to change behaviors and emotional responses. It is often used for anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and stress-related concerns.

Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationships influence current patterns of relating, helping clients understand and shift interpersonal dynamics that affect trust, communication, and emotional regulation. This approach can be especially helpful for relationship, family, and trauma-related issues.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Rita works collaboratively with clients to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals, and personal preferences. Together they clarify priorities and adapt techniques over time to support meaningful change.

Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, allowing clients to engage in therapy from different locations and at times that fit their lives. Licensed professionals can deliver many core therapeutic interventions effectively via these formats, supporting continuity of care and practical problem solving without requiring travel.