Therapists in Charlottesville, VA

Wendy has made it her life's work to help young adults discover their own competency and capacity. Wendy guides clients to capably experience emotions and grow fully into their best adult selves. Wendy has a relational, wellness-based style and works with clients to create a secure, supportive counseling partnership that allows for safe exploration of issues. Wendy brings nonjudgment, compassion and humor to her work as well as an unwavering belief in the innate healing capacity of each of us. Additionally, Wendy offers parent coaching to parents of teens and young adults who are struggling, as a way to support the whole family.

I am trained in EMDR for relief of trauma and both behavioral and psychodynamic/talking therapies which emphasize positive habits, good health and personal insight. Any change starts from within and sometimes we all need another perspective to grasp the whole picture so that problems or obstacles can be sensibly, sensitively and effectively handled. I work from a strengths-based orientation whereby the talents, skills, and interests can be identified. So we go from there, to where the individual learns to utilize those strengths in resolving problems, conflicts, stressors as well as finding sources of comfort, competence and confidence.

Hi I’m Beth! I am an LPC who has received a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I have experience working in-home counseling, crisis stabilization, and outpatient therapy for individuals, couples, and families. I also have experience working partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) for eating disorders. Currently, I am working towards my Certification to be a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist.

As a therapist, my biggest goal is to help you to be kinder to yourself and to live a more easeful life. I've found that EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) are a really effective combination of therapies for people struggling with trauma, anxiety, life transitions, and relationship difficulties (and work well virtually!). These approaches may be new to you, but what's important to know for now is that they provide the tools to help heal trauma, increase self-compassion, improve relationships, manage anxiety, and build a healthier and happier life.

Feeling overwhelmed, difficulty making decisions? Sadness or anxiety ruling your life? Relationship struggles - with your partner or family? Traumatic memories keeping you stuck? Separation, divorce or even retirement challenging you to find the 'new normal?' Loss or grief causing a hole in your heart? Sometimes everything we know just isn't enough - perhaps psychotherapy can help. Learn new skills, insights and perceptions; navigate through the angst while strengthening your inner resilience.

I come alive partnering with the courageous ones who seek guidance looking at the tender, deep places in their lives. My therapeutic practice is grounded in the assumption that we are all doing the best we can as we tend to the joys and struggles of life. I practice from a trauma-informed perspective, and will work with you to create an emotionally safe space that honors all parts of you as we examine past coping strategies that may not be serving you well in this moment, and ultimately allow movement toward healing and transformation. I am committed to approaching my work through a justice-focused, anti-oppression lens.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or stuck in old patterns that are no longer serving you? Navigating life’s challenges can be stressful, especially if you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or issues related to past trauma. You do not have to figure it out alone! I believe authentic human connection is one of the most powerful resources available to us and that true healing happens within the context of our relationships. I am passionate about working with people to help them discover potential and make positive changes that will help them have better relationships and lead more fulfilling lives.

I focus on individual Trauma, Couples, and Family. With years of family and individual work I've developed a flexible ability to meet adult and teen needs from parenting, marital, and developmental trauma and transitions of life. My work is informed by an attachment approach where I seek to create safety with you to untie negative relational patterns and move into greater awareness and courage. To assist my clients with underlying issues of trauma, my training in AEDP, EMDR and somatic approaches are well suited. I also use Ketamine Assisted Therapy in my office to break through old, unconscious patterns.

I am an EMDRIA-certified therapist with 15+ years of experience serving individuals and families in Charlottesville. I operate from a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach and incorporate interventions from the following therapeutic modalities, depending on the client's goals for therapy and presenting issues: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, expressive arts therapies.

I believe we all just want to do, feel and be a little better every day. I use an approach based in kindness, compassion, mindfulness and strength to help you find a way to be better everyday in your life and your relationships. I will help you explore emotional lability, past trauma, feeling stuck, and lack of hope for a better future. Grief, fear and feeling overwhelmed often stops us from being the best we can be. If you want to move towards a better you, I can offer some help

"I hope you are blessed with a heart like a wildflower. Strong enough to rise again after being trampled upon, tough enough to weather the worst of summer storms, and able to grow and flourish even in the most broken places." -Nikita Gill The impact of trauma, anxiety, or depression in your life can lead you to feel isolated, stuck, or disempowered. As a licensed counselor, I believe that no one should have to manage those feelings on their own. Through developing a strong therapeutic alliance, I assist my clients with identifying their goals for themselves and walk alongside them on their journey towards growth and healing.

I specialize in working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families who are looking for help around challenges with ADHD, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression, behavioral difficulties, and those that are twice exceptional. I view my role as helping individuals discover their capabilities and strengths to overcome life challenges. Many times, this means helping them identify new coping strategies, ways to communicate with others, and an overall healthier way of living.

Many individuals I work with are in the midst of a major life transition or in need of one. Transitions can have many forms: loss or gain of income, status, health, security, or a loved one; the course of life bringing you into adulthood, parenthood, middle or old age; traumatic experiences; spiritual, psychedelic, or spontaneous experiences that alter your sense of self and the world. Other times you may sense that something is off but don’t yet have the words to articulate what needs to be changed. Some of the difficulties you may encounter at these times are anxiety, depression, anger, relationship trouble, and confusion.

It's hard for anyone to talk about personal issues. Anyone brave enough to do this launches themselves into a life giving process that increases the possibilities of their lives forever. It brings about unbelievable changes opening possibilities never thought of. It's hard work. It's scary. But it teaches one to live effectively with what life has brought and create changes that enhance the life that is. It's a journey into the good and the bad that takes a person to new heights. It's an exploration that creates love and light in a life.

The attempt to ignore or suppress emotions, the pressure to "get over it", is where feelings of anxiety, depression, anger and loneliness thrive. I believe in the intelligence of our internal emotional system, viewing symptoms not as a problem to be solved but a roadmap to follow towards feeling and functioning better. The process of therapy will connect you with the internal resources needed to navigate life from a calmer and more connected space.

I use a person-centered, trauma-informed approach to create a safe space where you can explore the challenges that are preventing you from thriving in your daily life. I work with individuals, families and couples to identify behavior patterns and past experiences that are currently causing distress in their lives. We will work together to develop effective coping strategies that will support you feeling confident in your own abilities to reach your therapeutic goals.

I believe the therapeutic relationship is a collaborative one in which you have the power to make lasting changes toward a more balanced, connected and resourced life. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor providing individual and family counseling to children, adolescents, families and adults. I have extensive knowledge of behavior management strategies and parenting skill support as a former provider of Therapeutic Day Treatment in the school setting and Intensive In-home Services.  My training in trauma and resilience informs my work and allows for the strengths of the individual to guide growth and healing.

There is a solution. There is hope. And there is healing. Anxiety, depression, disordered eating, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, disruption in relationships, substance abuse, and on and on. These are curable, changeable, healable issues. When you go straight to the root of the issue, you can bring deep, lasting change. And we now know that the root of every mental health disorder (and many physical diseases as well) is some form of unresolved trauma. Trauma refers to any moment in our lives that we were unsafe in some way. Big or small, single events or years-long patterns-if we aren't able to process it, we store it.

Are you searching for peace and wellness? Do you feel anxious or depressed? Have you experienced stress or trauma from relationships with others or other life events? Have you been worrying about life transitions or other issues? Has physical illnesses caused pain? Do you have concerns or questions associated with aging or dying? Perhaps you have wondered about deeper meanings in life or your spirituality? I will compassionately listen to your unique situation and collaboratively work with you to assess your strengths and needs in developing a therapeutic approach to your life challenges. There is hope that you can feel better.