COUNSELING APPROACH

Welcome, and thank you for looking at my profile. If you are new to therapy or returning to therapy, I appreciate your courage on this journey.  I work collaboratively with you to identify your goals, and we review along the way to be sure we are staying on track and making progress.  We explore thoughts, emotions, sensations, and beliefs.  We identify patterns of thought and behavior that serve you well, and those that hold you back from living more fully.  We work for greater self awareness and self acceptance, more capacity and resilience. I use mindfulness in my work and incorporate body awareness.  I am influenced by the teachings of two Buddhist teachers who are also psychologists, Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.

 

 

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Coming out  

• Women coming out of marriage

• Relationship issues

• Gender identity

• Trauma

• Anxiety disorders (panic attacks, phobias, OCD, PTSD)

• Mood disorders, (depression, bipolar)

• Life transitions

• Loss and bereavement

• Addictions and co-dependency

• Personal growth and spirituality

 

 

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

EDUCATION AND LICENSING:
I have a master's of science degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1977, and I am a licensed clinical social worker in Virginia.

 

WORK EXPERIENCE:

I have worked as a psychotherapist for over thirty years. My clinical experience includes five years at the Whitman Walker Clinic in Virginia working with the LGBT community and people living with HIV; fourteen years in a clinic specialized in treating people with anxiety disorders, and eight years working in an outpatient recovery program for people with addictions. I have provided clinical supervision to professionals and graduate students since 1982. I have had a private practice since 1999.

 

TRAININGS AND CERTIFICATIONS:

My certifications in three specific programs have deepened my skills in addressing symptoms of trauma, anxiety, and depression.  I have been certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), in the Rubenfeld Synergy Method™, Synergy and in Somatic Experiencing.

• EMDR promotes healing from trauma by using eye movement or rhythmic tapping to move between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, allowing integration of encapsulated, difficult memories.

• The Rubenfeld Synergy Method™ is a body-centered psychotherapy that helps one become aware of and release suppressed memories and emotions stored in the body. This four year training program is based on Gestalt Therapy, Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, Feldenkrais Method and the Alexander Technique.

• Somatic Experiencing is an approach to healing trauma that helps one re-learn the body’s natural ability for self-regulation of the nervous system.

I have had numerous other trainings, among them Mindfulness, Internal Family Systems, cognitive-behavioral therapy, addictions and co-dependency, and two forms of couples’ therapy, IMAGO and EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy).

 

 

PAYMENT POLICIES AND INSURANCE

I am a participating provider for Medicare and BCBS PPO plans and am an out-of-network provider for other insurers.  My
services include filing insurance claims for you.  Call to discuss fees and payment options if you have questions about
insurance or ability to pay.  You may pay at the time of service or pay monthly. I accept electronic payments and checks,
no credit cards.

 

 

AVAILABILITY

​Monday through Thursday, daytime appointments.  Call 703-824-0324 for more information and appointment scheduling.