Miriam Staffen

Miriam Staffen is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who focuses on helping people navigate stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, grief, and identity concerns related to LGBT and gender dysphoria. She aims to create a calm, respectful space where people feel heard even when their thoughts are tangled or hard to name. Miriam centers presence and active listening so each session reflects what the client needs that day.

She encourages curiosity rather than judgment about feelings and behaviors. Miriam asks questions about patterns and origins of difficult thoughts, and she helps clients decide what they want to change. She works collaboratively, offering observations, alternative perspectives, and gentle challenges while leaving choices to the client.

Miriam uses both talking and creative methods in sessions. Sometimes that means a straightforward conversation or venting. Other times it means using art, movement, play, or experiential activities to help feelings surface and be explored. She adapts methods to match what a person is comfortable with in the moment.

Her background includes work with trauma and adverse childhood experiences, substance use concerns, foster care and child protection systems, domestic violence, and perinatal and postpartum issues. She has also supported people dealing with addictions, bipolar disorder, eating and sleeping difficulties, and caregiver stress.

Miriam holds a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwest Nazarene University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Idaho. She has three years of counseling experience and continues to draw on new tools to meet each client's needs.

She practices in Idaho and conducts sessions in English. If you want to begin, use the Start Therapy button to complete the brief matching questionnaire and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Attachment-Based Therapy helps people understand how early relationships shape current patterns. Online sessions can use conversation and reflection to notice those patterns and try new ways of relating. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on practical steps to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, using exercises and homework that translate well to remote work.

Choosing the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will collaborate with each person to figure out which methods fit their goals and comfort level. That plan can shift over time as needs and priorities change.

Confirm which session formats Miriam offers before booking. Once confirmed, online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow regular check-ins from wherever you are. Some formats also allow shorter touch-base visits when a quick problem needs attention, or sessions without video when lower bandwidth or less screen time helps. Discuss practical arrangements during the matching and scheduling steps so sessions match your schedule and preferences.