Jonathan 'Riley' Murdock

Jonathan ‘Riley’ Murdock is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW - License ID 44539) practicing in Idaho who focuses on strength-centered therapy and a nonjudgmental, fully supportive approach. He aims to be 100% in a client’s corner, creating the freedom needed to explore why people feel stuck, why patterns of self-sabotage emerge, and where guilt or shame originate.

Riley frames change as a process of small, manageable steps. He likens personal growth to building a muscle - applying a bit more stress than usual and then allowing time for recovery - and he helps clients find a healthier balance between challenge and rest. He notices that many people either become overwhelmed by too much stress or feel incapable of handling small tasks, and he works to move them toward a sustainable level of positive challenge.

He combines motivational interviewing to help clients clarify their goals and take meaningful action - a technique he says can accelerate natural progress by about six months - with trauma-focused work. Riley is trained in IRRT (Imaging rescripting reprocessing therapy), which he uses to address shame, guilt, abuse, nightmares, and issues related to childhood experiences. He notes that IRRT can reduce unintended retraumatization and often produces noticeable results, sometimes in as little as one session.

Riley is visually oriented and often uses metaphors and imagery in sessions, a style that reflects his own ADHD and helps make ideas easier to remember. He brings both professional skill and a sense of enthusiasm to his work, describing therapeutic work as enjoyable rather than simply a job or a calling. He works with a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, LGBT matters, relationship and family issues, sleep problems, parenting, anger, self-esteem, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes.

He identifies as a gay, male therapist and is open to working with clients across Christian, conservative, and liberal perspectives. Riley offers four years of experience providing therapy services and integrates practical strategies with empathic support as clients navigate their life puzzles.