Getting Started
It may feel uncomfortable to start counseling and share your story with a total stranger. It’s common to think “this person is going to judge me, so I better tone it down” or “I don’t want to freak my therapist out, so I’ll leave that detail out of it”. But therapy is the time and place where you can let that all that go. Nothing is off the table when it comes to improving your own mental health, and we are here to help you conquer it.
Individual Counseling
Anxiety · Depression · Substance Abuse · Trauma
Individual counseling is 1-on-1 and tailored just to you. Most people meet with us in our Fairfax office or virtually from the comfort of their own home or office. Counseling usually starts off with a meet-and-greet, to make sure we are a good fit. Together, we then develop a plan to achieve what you are looking to accomplish with mental health counseling.
Teletherapy
Yes! Teletherapy is available.
Yes, teletherapy is available. All services, including EMDR and IFS, can be provided virtually. All you need is a quiet, confidential room, internet access, and a computer, tablet, or even cell phone. We use the teletherapy system through Counsol, which is HIPAA compliant and encrypted. There is no need to download any other software and at your appointment time you will receive a link in your email to login and begin your session.
If you are a Virginia resident, this is easy, our license covers all of VA. Out of state or out of the country? Let’s have a chat, as there are many out-of-state locations where we can use teletherapy.
What do you focus on in counseling?
Resolving your past (how cliché, I know). However, working through your past is the best way to feel better in the present. We have parts of us that hold onto trauma, shame, anxiety, or depression from the past. These parts can show up as memories, feelings, thoughts, and even sensations in our body. By unburdening these parts we free these parts from the pain they hold and unburden our system to live in the present.
We are confident this can help you as we have seen it work for our clients and have experienced it first hand ourselves as clients of EMDR or IFS.
Here are some an examples:
- If your childhood had repeated patterns of distressing situations, your adult brain will likely be in a state of anxiety, always anticipating something stressful happening next.
- If your past had repeated patterns of neglect, your current brain may now always think you’re on your own, isolated, or not worthy of love since the people who were supposed to care for you didn’t.
- If you were physically or sexually abused as a kid, your adult brain might think you are shameful, things that go wrong are always your fault, or you have no control.
- If your parents didn’t respond to your emotional needs when you were scared, worried, or hurt, your adult brain might feel numb after turning those emotions off.
We encourage you to call the number on the back of your insurance card to find out what your “out-of-network” benefits are so there aren’t any financial surprises. Ask them where to send what’s called a “Superbill,” that’s the form I’ll give you. I’ll give you everything you need for that, you just need the address.
Crash Course on EMDR
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR for short, is how many of the people I work with challenge and repair their core beliefs.
In short, EMDR focuses on bringing your adult-self into memories to alleviate distressing emotions associated with memory. This can be done through asking yourself questions such as:
- Were you really at fault for childhood situations; what would happen if your adult-self had been there?
- If a stranger saw how your parents treated you, what would they think?
- If you saw this happen to another child, what emotions do you think they would feel?
EMDR uses questions like these in combination with bilateral stimulation (eye movements) to get both sides of your brain working at the same time. It also helps distance you from emotions associated with memory so you can process distressing feelings without becoming overwhelmed, numb, or detached from therapy.
I encourage you to call the number on the back of your insurance card to find out what your “out-of-network” benefits are so there aren’t any financial surprises. Ask them where to send what’s called a “Superbill,” that’s the form I’ll give you. I’ll give you everything you need for that, you just need the address.
Want to see EMDR in action?
What Does It Cost to Work with us?
55 minute individual sessions: $200
Our rate is set that each therapist can earn a livable earning while also not overburdening themselves by taking an excessive amount of clients like a large agency. This means your therapist is available, emotionally present, and not overbooked. This provides a personalized experience with your therapist who has time for training, self development, their own therapy, and ultimately, time and space for you.
We accept FSA and HSA accounts, but we don’t take insurance. We can navigate this and are happy to provide you with a form you can send in to your insurance for possible reimbursement. That means you’re responsible for the fees at the time of our appointment and, depending on your insurance plan, a certain percentage of that may be paid to you by your insurance company.
We encourage you to call the number on the back of your insurance card to find out what your “out-of-network” benefits are so there aren’t any financial surprises. Ask them where to send what’s called a “Superbill,” that’s the form I’ll give you. I’ll give you everything you need for that, you just need the address.
How do I get started?
Getting started is easy! With online booking you can schedule your own appointment, or you can contact us below and we will reach out to you.
