Out of Network Therapists in Charlottesville, VA

Dr. Maryfrances Porter is a licensed clinical psychologist. She works from an attachment orientation to treat people facing personal, relationship, and emotional struggles of all kinds. Dr. Porter is committed to allyship.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor who has been in the mental health private practice industry since 1998 and licensed since 2000. I provide psychotherapy to individuals, couples and families to help them achieve personal growth, balance, and wellness. I have spent much of my experience working with adolescents and adults. My approach to therapy is primarily cognitive-behavioral emphasizing solution-focused therapy. I include clients in the development of personalized treatment plans and will use a holistic approach, which means I may use different methods to help you meet your goals including reality therapy, family systems therapy and homework.

Feelings of sadness and anxiety from unhealed loss and unresolved life circumstances can cripple our capacity to manage our lives. This work offers clarity through tools that deal directly with life changes and the effects of trauma and addictions. With an overall focus on life transitions and jarring wake-up calls that challenge who we believe ourself to be, the work creates Ah Ha experiences and insights that release blocks and bring us home to ourselves - body, mind, emotions, spirit. Individuals. Couples. Groups. Workshops. Retreats. Intuition guides the work which is backed by 30 years of intense clinical specialty with addictions, trauma and dis-ease.

I help couples at an impasse move to a place of clarity. The love is there, but the issues between them feel insurmountable. My approach is systemic to ensure that the individuals in every relationship I work with feel heard while working toward a resolution.

My style is interactive, behavioral, and usually short-term. I'm curious about where and how clients get stuck in running their lives, solving their own problems. I focus on helping clients break dysfunctional patterns, take acceptable risks, and approach problems in a more flexible way. There's homework and new behaviors to try during the week. I have written 13 books on couple & family therapy, anxiety, depression & anger, brief therapy, clinical supervision, as well as over 300 articles. I write an online column for Psychology Today entitled Fixing Families and have provided trainings nationally.

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, to trauma and developmental transitions of life. My work is informed from an attachment approach where I seek to create safety with you to untie negative relational patterns and move into greater awareness and courage. I assist you in rediscovering your resiliency to pull you beyond the old patterns. To assist my clients when balance is upset by an underlying issue of trauma, my training in AEDP coupled with EMDR and somatic approaches is well suited.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia with 8 years of experience. I enjoy working with people at many stages of life, from teenagers to older adults. My goal as your therapist is to help you understand and gain the tools necessary to work through what you are experiencing be it depression, anxiety, grief, or stressful life transitions. I provide warmth, humor, advocacy and encouragement within the therapeutic relationship.

Many high-performers know they are capable of achieving more but feel stuck at times. Do you feel that despite having a lot of things together, something is missing that is holding you back? The clients I work with have typically achieved success in many aspects of life, but they struggle in others. When facing challenges that seem insurmountable, we all can benefit from expert guidance and counseling. As a clinical psychologist with over 25 years of education and experience, I empower high-achieving professionals, athletes, and couples to reach their goals and create the changes in life they most desire.

I work with children, adolescents, and young adults who are struggling with a wide range of symptoms including​ ADHD, learning disabilities, developmental difficulties, autism spectrum challenges, depression, anxiety, or substance use issues. Many of my clients have been struggling with adjusting to a life change, such as grief/loss, or a change in family dynamics.

As a Contemplative Psychotherapist and Coach, I offer my clients a unique blend of professional and spiritual experience. For 32 years I have been counseling individuals, families, and couples. My work is enriched by over four decades of engagement in Buddhist philosophy and practice. This background offers expertise in helping individuals and couples find authentic love, and parents more mindful and ethical parenting. I also coach many clients in how to use their wisdom and kindness to reach more 'enlightened' functioning. I do accept insurance clients, but currently have a waiting list of several months.

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.

I operate from an attachment perspective, and I believe that we must establish safety in order to change, heal, and grow. I aim to help clients heal past traumas, work through difficult emotions, and find their inner strength and core self. I help clients build and strengthen relationships with themselves and others for transformation and healing.

Anxiety can feel overwhelming. Trying to manage worry, panic attacks, or obsessive compulsive disorder can be challenging. You may find that the harder you try, the more you fight, the worse it gets. Well meaning friends and family members may try to help by offering advice of their own: Don’t worry about it. Think about something else. Just try to relax. Unfortunately these suggestions are rarely helpful. The truth is, anxiety can be managed. The solutions, however, are often counterintuitive.

***Please note that calls and emails are answered by my intake coordinator, Madeline Schultz.*** I work with individuals, couples and families collaborating with them to reach their goals. These goals range from finding relief from depression, anxiety, past trauma, and addiction to finding deeper joy and satisfaction in work, leisure and relationships. I have specialized training in individual and family therapy, couples therapy, and sex therapy. I provide a safe environment for people to reflect on their lives with curiosity and compassion and make desired changes based on this reflection.