Jonathan 'Riley' Murdock , LCSW

Jonathan 'Riley' Murdock is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Idaho who combines a strengths-focused, nonjudgmental stance with practical strategies to help people move forward. With four years of clinical experience, he centers his work on helping clients recognize their existing resources and take small, manageable steps toward lasting change. He emphasizes being fully in a client's corner - offering steady support that creates room to explore difficult patterns like self-sabotage, guilt, and shame.

He frames growth in tangible terms, using a muscle-training metaphor to explain how gradual stress and built-in recovery foster resilience. This approach makes overwhelming goals feel more doable by breaking them into incremental actions and celebrating progress along the way. He incorporates motivational interviewing to help clients clarify their values and commit to change, and he draws on trauma-informed techniques when addressing the effects of abuse, nightmares, and persistent shame.

Known for a visual, metaphor-driven style and an approachable manner, he aims to make therapy understandable and even engaging. He works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, LGBT issues, relationship and family dynamics, parenting, sleep difficulties, anger, self-esteem, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes. His practice focuses on practical recovery and collaborative problem solving while honoring each client’s pace and priorities.

Approaches for Online Therapy and Practical Change

Jonathan 'Riley' Murdock draws on client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing to support work done online. Client-centered therapy focuses on empathy, respect, and meeting clients where they are - it helps people build self-understanding and feel supported while exploring life challenges. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches practical tools to identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and many everyday struggles. Motivational interviewing helps clients clarify their goals and strengthen their own motivation to make changes, making it easier to move from intention to action.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. Jonathan collaborates with each client to tailor methods to their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting pace and techniques as progress unfolds. This collaborative stance helps clients try different strategies and settle on what feels most effective.

Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility - sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit varying schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain consistent care, try brief or focused check-ins, and integrate therapeutic work into everyday life while working with licensed professionals and therapists who guide the process.