Therapists in Downtown, Charlottesville, VA

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15+ years of experience. I provide a welcoming space for clients experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, stress, relationship challenges, and life transitions. I have found that the shift from judgment to understanding with compassion-based awareness is the core of healing and change. I support clients to soften to themselves, work skillfully with difficult emotions, and reconnect with the capacity to problem-solve constructively. My approach guides clients to deepen insight, see options clearly, and transform the self-talk, narratives, boundaries, and habit loops that keep people stuck.

Sometimes we struggle to connect with ourselves and others, but we all deserve to feel heard, respected, and understood. I believe that effective therapy starts with an authentic relationship between client and therapist. I strive to create an environment that is warm, inclusive, and challenging. It is an honor to provide a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to share their lives.

I offer both in person and virtual/teletherapy sessions. I provide psychotherapy for adult men and women who are facing a wide range of life challenges. Maybe you're having difficulties due to anxiety or you are confused about your life’s direction or purpose. Possibly you have recently realized you have a pattern of becoming involved in unhealthy relationships and want to figure out why. I'll provide a comfortable, accepting, caring, and non-judgmental environment for you to gain an increased awareness of self, and to discover how this awareness can become the pathway towards growth and positive change.

You have survived the pandemic, congratulations! But..are you thriving now? If you're here on this site, something is going on that you want to change. I am a unique therapist who is goal oriented. You can't get back what you have lost these last 2 years, but you can figure out how the rest of your life should look. That is the help I offer. Through the Principles of Mind, Thought and Consciousness we will look at the narratives you have about yourself. Some may be helpful and some narratives may keep you locked up, ashamed, fearful, lonely. Let's change that You are never more than 1 thought away from a new way of life.

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.

No matter who you are, life is hard. The difficulties of day-to-day life often put us in an irresolvable bind: On one hand, the stressors are too big and too painful to ignore. And yet, while we may wish for and even utilize the support of those around us, for a whole host of reasons, we often resort to going it alone. In these moments, therapy can be a promising new option: a confidential relationship rooted in honesty, understanding, and compassion. It is my belief that such a relationship can provide a fresh start: a new orientation towards our problems and a new way of experiencing the world we live in.

I have spent the past 20+ years helping clients to lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. My goal is to provide a stress free, nonjudgmental environment where you can feel supported, comfortable, and free to express yourself.

My past experiences of working with at-risk populations has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of trauma on an individual. While I support clients with a wide range of traumatic experiences, I consider myself an ally of survivors of sexual trauma in particular; I understand the pain and confusion that people experience and the many ways in which these experiences impact one's mental health. I hold an accepting, welcoming environment so we can work together through these past experiences to help you find peace in the present.

Accepting New Clients! There are moments when life changes and we are left feeling like strangers to our self. When the changes are hoped for we’re surprised to feel out of place in our dreams. When the changes are nightmares we feel cut off from everyone around us. We long to return, or experience for the first time, that sense of coming home. Home, where we feel safe, at ease and accepted. It is my honor to sit beside you while you rediscover your place in the community and the relationships that matter to you. You will undoubtedly discover that you are more powerful and resilient than you dared to hope.

If you struggle with anxiety, depression, grief, relationship issues or just the overwhelm of life, I am here to help. I provide tools and insights to help break unconscious sabotaging patterns that keep you stuck. I utilize a strength based approach and specialize in working with college students and other individuals experiencing the challenges of life transitions. For couples seeking help, I have advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (see drsuejohnson.com), that is proven to help couples resolve issues and get back to feelings of love, safety and security. You deserve to feel better! It doesn't have to be so hard

I enjoy helping people establish and maintain relationships. It could be a relationship with your significant other, colleagues, or your family where values, beliefs, expectations, or even the cultures may be different. I also help people maintain a positive relationship with themselves by achieving an internal balance and being at peace with their past experiences.

I offer therapy and evaluation (testing) services. Clients don't come to me because they are happy. They come, most likely, because they are in pain and hurt. They are tired of feeling stuck, and the fear, tears, and whatever seems to be causing them all. They aren’t interested in therapy because they want therapy. In fact, they are not even sure IF they want therapy—but they ARE sure they want to get unstuck and feel better. So, for you: here you are. . . not all that sure that this is going to help but damn sure you want to do something that might make a positive change and get your life moving forward again. I can help you.

Accepting new clients: I approach my work through the lens of attachment – how we cope in moments of disconnection with those we love the most – with empathy, cultural awareness, and validation around being a human – moreover, a parent. As a mother to young children, I understand the beauty and despair of parenthood. As a therapist, I understand the impact our childhood experiences have on how we show up in our adult relationships. I meld my experience and training to support both women and men along the path of reconnecting with themselves and with those whom they love most.

Although my therapeutic approach is an eclectic style to counseling, I also care about my clients, and utilize in-depth listening skills to first identity the problem, and then help you understand how that problem personally affects you and the ones you love. Then together we can find solutions that work. In this region, I use video therapy, which has become a viable alternative to face-to-face therapy. It provides a secure and convenient method of processing your life in the privacy of your own home. This is a proven and successful option for many of my national clients.