Bisexual Therapists in Alexandria, VA

I am licensed psychotherapist with more than twenty years of experience working with adults and adolescents offering counseling and therapy for a variety of issues to a diverse client base in Virginia and Washington, DC. I provide treatment for individuals, couples and families, and lead a number of therapy groups. My work combines cognitive behavioral techniques with other effective and evidence-based therapies, such as DBT, to help you to actualize your strengths and manage your behaviors in a safe, supportive and solution-focused context. I have extensive experience working with life's transitions, aging, illness, and loss and grief, particularly with the LGBT community.

Sex, identity, and relationships can be integral parts of our lives. However, shame, miscommunication, and other life stress might prevent us from having the connections we want. Although these frustrations may seem insurmountable at times, change is possible. Looking for a therapist is a positive first step. Whether you are looking to gain personal insight, develop coping strategies, or improve your relationships and sexual functioning, we can work together to achieve your goals. I work with individuals and couples. I am licensed in VA, DC, and MD and certified as a sex therapist by AASECT.

Taking the leap to find a therapist can feel overwhelming. The thought of talking to a complete stranger about the deepest darkest parts of your mind may feel frightening, but seeking help is something to celebrate. If you are searching for someone to help lighten the load of the weight of the world or even just the thoughts swirling around in your mind, I am here to help.

Do you want to cultivate self-compassion? Improve your relationships, set healthy boundaries and be more assertive? I can assist you in attaining these objectives and also how to unhook from unhelpful thoughts/patterns and reframe and shift your perspective. We will explore reconnecting with your values and rediscovering what is meaningful to you. We will discuss better ways to cope, techniques for relaxation skills and how to get organized and motivated. Get relief from depression, anxiety, ADHD, and past trauma. Awaken to your own insights, feel your feelings, and practice acceptance of difficult situations.

As of 05/2023 I am accepting new clients. I recognize a very strong connection between body and mind. Primarily, I utilize techniques to help you gain awareness into your inner landscape of physical sensations, how these are connected to your emotions, and combine movement with talk therapy. We work with different somatic based tools to build capacity in managing different stressors and releasing past "stuck" experiences. Using what we learn from our body can often help us in navigating anxiety, depression, stress, difficult emotions, situations, life transitions and trauma stored in the body.

Are you (or your teen) feeling anxious or overwhelmed? Dealing with family-related stress? Grieving or adjusting to a recent loss/change? Navigating life as a queer, trans, or gender diverse individual? Feeling worn down by oppression and injustice? Or maybe you're just looking to do some self-exploration in a supportive environment? Whatever it is, I'm here for it and I'm here for YOU. I work with teens and adults dealing with challenges related to anxiety, depression, trauma, grief/loss, LGBTQIA2+ identities, and complex family dynamics.

**CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS FOR VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON SESSIONS. DAYTIME AVAILABILITY** Are you feeling overwhelmed, unhappy, stuck, and unable to cope with the challenges in your life? Do you find yourself stuck in unhelpful patterns and struggling to make meaningful connections with others? If so, you don’t have to do this alone. It takes great strength to realize that you’re struggling, and even more courage to reach out for support. Together we can partner to find fulfillment and satisfaction across the different areas your life.

Have you felt out of sync, unable to communicate clearly, frustrated and wanting to try something different but unhappy with what you've tried? I enjoy helping folks learn new ways of communicating, finding new perspectives to barriers and working through individual or relationship struggles to have their needs and wants met. If you are having difficulty making it through your everyday, dealing with the stresses of life, or managing anxiety and depression; I can help. I will help you learn new coping skills using your own personal strengths to assist you with enhancing your quality of life.

The status quo tells us we can’t trust ourselves, our knowing, or our bodies. Rachael believes that our innate knowing - when we can access it, is not only the gold we seek, but the light we shine for ourselves and in the world around us. From experience with eating disorders, self-injury, trauma, chronic pain, couples and larger family systems and the LGBTQIA umbrella to professional work in issue focused non-profits/campaigns (and even performing), Rachael is deeply in tune with the political and social ecosystems that our intersectional identities transverse on a moment to moment basis

I specialize in sexual health, intimacy, and relationships, especially the one we have with self. I am passionate about helping you (and yours) enrich your lives—by empowering you to unpack what’s preventing you from fully embracing all of life’s pleasures. I believe that we all have the intrinsic ability to heal ourselves. In my practice, psychotherapy is a journey of self healing, with me as your guide. Connection is one of our most powerful tools, and through connecting with me, together, we will cultivate transformation and uncover the peace that lies within you.

I am a licensed clinical social worker with over 17 years of experience working with individuals who have experienced trauma and struggle with eating disorders. I have graduate degrees in communications, art and anthropology. Through my extensive experience and training, I have developed a unique and effective approach to helping clients overcome these challenging issues. In my practice, I utilize evidence-based therapeutic interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). My approach is collaborative and client-centered.

The goal of my practice is to provide a safe place for people to explore their lives and learn skills to help them cope in a safe and nonjudgmental environment. We will work together to help you figure out what issues you want to work on and how we can best address them.

As a therapist, I believe you are your own expert, and I will use each session to support your journey and provide a safe place for therapy. I have experience working with the LGBTQIA+ community with specialized training working with transgender folx and parents of transgender youth. I'm currently working toward my WPATH certification and provide gender affirming care and counseling support letters. With over 15 years’ experience working in college admissions, I also bring a deep understanding of the needs of high school and college students. I work with adults and adolescents in individual settings.

I believe that therapy works best when there is a safe and supportive therapy relationship, where you can explore the issues that brought you into therapy, in a nonjudgmental environment. I also know that many people come to therapy to make some changes. For this reason, I combine traditional talk therapy with skills-based methods that teach you specific ways to address your concerns. I will work with you to meet your goals while also helping you to understand yourself better, and to understand the patterns that might sometimes get you stuck.

I will work with you to illuminate the meaning of your experience and help you practice greater self-acceptance. Therapy goals/counseling/education will be tailored to your unique needs. I may show you how to change your behavior by using Mindfulness/changing your thoughts, recovery/harm reduction tools to address substance use, guidance/education/resources for exploring sexual orientation/gender identity/transitioning/coming out, provide couples/individual work for better communication in relationships, and/or I can apply EMDR/somatic-based approaches for trauma/anxiety and even substance using/behavioral urges.

Life can be messy, chaotic, and complicated; therapy is a lot like spring cleaning. Together, we will work to unpack and reorganize your life to find meaning, connection, understanding, and even humor. I aim to hold a compassionate, honest space that allows you to reach your goals and build on your strengths. In my practice, I support individuals that are impacted by trauma, sexual trauma, chronic illness, anxiety, depression, life transitions, and feelings of low self-worth. I focus on building an empathic relationship with my clients to align their physical, mental, emotional, and social goals with therapy.