Dr. James Ruby, LMHC
Hawaii · 22 years in practice
Dr. James Ruby is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Hawaii with 22 years of experience.
License and registration
- LMHC, Hawaii
- MHC-367 · expires June 2026
- LMHC, Iowa
- 122890 · expires September 2026
- NPI
- 1104441880 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 22
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About James
Dr. James Ruby is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Hawaii with 22 years of experience. He brings a thoughtful, human-centered approach to therapy and focuses on helping people move through hard times and toward clearer life choices.
He often uses existential ideas to help clients consider meaning, responsibility, and freedom in their lives. That perspective is paired with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and client-centered work to keep sessions practical and grounded.
Background and approach
Motivational Interviewing and psychodynamic ideas are also part of his toolbox when they fit a person's needs. Ruby helps with a broad range of concerns including relationships, grief, stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and issues around intimacy. He also supports people facing parenting challenges, workplace strain, life transitions, caregiver stress, and questions of life purpose.
He works with LGBT concerns and young adult issues as well. Sessions are conversational and focused on what the person wants to change. He may suggest short exercises or homework to practice between meetings.
The goal is to uncover strengths, shift habits of thinking, and find workable next steps. Clients describe practical guidance, clear listening, and a nonjudgmental tone. He welcomes questions at the start so people can decide if his style fits what they need.
The work is collaborative and paced to each person's readiness.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything James lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- ADHD
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Divorce and separation
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Self-love
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches James names
- Existential Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Existential Therapy focuses on questions of meaning, choice, and responsibility. In online sessions this can look like guided conversations about values, life direction, and how someone wants to live, which helps with issues such as grief, life changes, and feeling stuck.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches skills for accepting difficult feelings while committing to small, value-driven actions. Online ACT sessions often include brief exercises, metaphors, and homework to practice between meetings for anxiety, depression, and stress.
Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's own experience and pacing. The therapist listens without judgment and follows the client's concerns, which can be especially useful when sorting through relationship problems, identity questions, or caregiver stress.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals and preferences, and will adjust as progress unfolds.
Online formats offer flexibility through video, phone, live chat, and text messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction for deeper conversation, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits shorter check-ins, and text messaging supports ongoing reflection between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to stay connected from different locations.
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Questions people ask
What kinds of concerns can be addressed in therapy?
Therapy covers relationship problems, grief, stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, parenting issues, intimacy concerns, career struggles, ADHD, and related areas like caregiver stress, isolation, and life purpose.
What is Dr. Ruby's style in sessions?
He blends an existential outlook with ACT and client-centered methods to keep work focused and meaningful. Sessions are conversational and aim to help people identify values and practical next steps.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has 22 years of clinical experience working with individuals, couples, and families across a wide range of concerns.
Where is he licensed and based?
He practices as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and is based in Hawaii with licensure noted as IA LMHC and HI LMHC.
Are sessions offered in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What formats are available for appointments?
Appointments can be held via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.
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