Play Therapy in Charlottesville, VA

I am a generalist clinical psychologist. I see clients of all ages from toddlers to adolescents and adults. I have been in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia for 25 years, providing insight-oriented individual therapy, family therapy, and play therapy .

I believe people strive to live the best life they possibly can. At times, life can throw in a few challenges and reaching out for help is not always easy. I am here to help! Together we can face those challenges and get you closer to your goals. I work with adults, adolescents, children, families, and couples who may have experienced trauma or whom may feel overwhelmed, lonely, hopeless, afraid, worthless, angry or unmotivated. I use play therapy , solution-focused, strengths-based, and person-centered techniques to help people heal and grow. I am also trained in EMDR.

Currently accepting new clients. I specialize in working with children, adolescents, and parents and caregivers who are seeking support in doing the hard work of raising children. As a former elementary school counselor, I have lots of experience helping children and parents through the many developmental, behavioral, and socio-emotional issues of childhood and adolescence.

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.

I am a Bilingual clinician focused on providing mental health services to the local community. I have worked in the mental health field since 2011 through various agencies such: as Region Ten, ReadyKids, Albemarle County, Charlottesville City Schools, Mary Ainsworth Attachment Clinic, and The Women's Initiative. I have experience in treating adults, and teens with complex trauma, anxiety, depression, domestic violence, sexual abuse, attachment disorders, neglect, and immigration trauma.

Accepting new clients - The Center for Connection, Healing & Change focuses on the creation of secure, close, and satisfying relationships- within us and between us. We choose to specialize in relationships because we know the importance of satisfying connections for our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Services explore the relationship we have with both ourselves and others; how well we can live with emotional ease, know who we are, ask for what we need, be responsive to loved ones, set boundaries, deal with loss, move through stressful experiences, find our purpose, and access resilience in moments of need.

I am a licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in treating children, young adults, and adults using an approach that integrates classic and modern psychodynamic theory with contemporary approaches including family systems, cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness-based treatment. Therapy can be an invaluable part of helping individuals to overcome life's challenges. Whether our struggle is related to life transitions, loss, trauma or interpersonal difficulties, painful feelings commonly arise such as depression and anxiety. My goal is to provide a therapeutic environment and a collaborative partnership to individuals that seek relief from these painful symptoms and hope to achieve growth and positive change in their lives.

I help others expand their confidence in themselves to overcome whatever challenges life presents. I enjoy treating children, adolescents, and adults experiencing anxiety and depression, work and school issues, relationship problems, communication concerns, and life transitions. I also provide play therapy and marriage counseling. My easy and caring manner are a comfort to those needing support and helps them confide in me. Through my clinical skills, I work in tandem with my clients to resolve and overcome daily challenges as well as persistent life problems.

The past two years have brought new challenges to all age groups. It has been a time of reflection and increased depression and anxiety as the world has become a different enviroment than we have known. It is still a journey through this life and not just a destination. I offer trauma informed care to help you along your path. I work with adults, teens and children. Play therapy is one of my specailites and is the best treatment for younger individuals. I also provide support for teens and adults as they are adjusting to a much different experience with work, school, and social activites than in the past.

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.

THIS IS TELEHEALTH ONLY. One of the best decisions you can make in your life is to reach out and ask for help. Therapy is about change and trying to figure out the old patterns that are not working anymore. As a parent of school-aged children and working in the mental health field, I recognize that people have been struggling. If you were struggling pre-pandemic I realize that COVID may have exasperated your feelings, your mood, and may have increased anxiety. I would like to be able to help you manage your struggles and develop a new way of life going forward.

Through a holistic and integrative approach I support individuals and families to navigate the unique challenges that life has unfolded for them. Whether our work takes place in my office or out in nature, I help my clients identify, cultivate and nourish their strengths and resources. Through our work my clients deepen their connection to themselves, others and the natural world. As these connections grow I support my clients to uncover limiting patterns that inhibit their relationships, creativity and happiness so they can nourish new ways of moving and relating in the world that support authenticity, ease, and joy.

Life does not come with a handbook. Failure is a word which disconnects us from our innate ability to connect, seek, create, gather and master. Therapy serves as a resource. With individualized and therapeutic evidenced based practices we will learn to move past survival and thrive- creating a more congruent life. As your therapist we will find interventions to match your needs and create long term change together for yourself & your relationships.

Rebecca is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive training and experience working with individuals, couples and families dealing with the challenges of mental health issues, and/or physical illness such as cancer. She has expertise working with anxiety, depression, ADHD (Adults and Children), trauma, dealing with serious illness, relationships, and grief and loss. Rebecca practices with a kind and gentle approach using proven strategies to help clients regain control and move forward with a focus on building resilience and overall healthy functioning.