Couples Counseling Therapists in Fredericksburg, VA

Life has a way of presenting experiences that can stress our emotions and mental well-being and throw us off balance. Taking those first steps towards therapy exhibit a strength within that should be commended. I can offer you a therapeutic experience that builds on trust, humor, and genuine care.

I believe having healthy and whole relationships is the key to well-being and happiness. As a therapist, I work with individuals, couples , and families in developing effective communication and in building meaningful connection. My approach is collaborative, practical, yet integrative, striving to help individuals utilize their strengths and understand their growing edges.

Erika Wormeley is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has been working hard with her clients for over a decade. She most enjoys working with adults and emerging adults (13-19 years old) with mental health and substance abuse issues. Erika's specialties include anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and trauma. Erika holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Mary Washington, and a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Argosy University.

I believe the problems that direct clients into counseling are emotional, physical, and spiritual. Therefore, the whole person must be addressed and treated as a unique and complex individual. As a Christian therapist, I help clients get to the root causes of their distress and assist them to find answers by using solution focused therapy. While some long-term therapy is a necessity I take pride in helping people set goals and objectives to find answers to their issues and struggles. Discover your hidden strengths and find an inner peace that brings stability amidst your storm.

**VIRTUAL THERAPY ONLY** Why Online Couple's Therapy? One of the most discouraging parts of couple's therapy is the amount of time couples wait before seeking help. On average, couples wait six years before seeking assistance and by then, much damage has been done. To make couples ' therapy less daunting, I have removed the hurdles of traffic, childcare, stress, parking, coordinating schedules, and travel time. Relax in the comfort of your own home and join me for therapy through the wonders of the internet.

As a psychotherapist, I believe that each of us holds the capacity to utilize our personal creativity to resolve life's challenges. I seek to assist the folks I work with to find their strengths. I utilize a number of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused, Interactive Guided Imagery, Ericksonian Hypnosis, and elements of Internal Family Systems and psychological astrology. Upon the initial therapy session, we will work together to determine the most beneficial modality for you, your family, or your child. In addition, I may suggest expressive arts as a vehicle to create life changes.

I have extensive clinical experience in providing psychological services to adults, couples and families as well as members of the Public Safety, Correctional and Armed Forces Communities. Together we journey on a path to identify and target thoughts, feelings and behaviors which are problematic to psychological growth. My goal is to improve the psychological wellbeing of the indiviudals, couples or families that I serve.

Perhaps you, like many people, struggle with unhealthy relationships and low personal growth. If you are not working on becoming the person that you desire to be, you feel stuck and need someone to help get you back on track. Many people struggle with relationship issues, unhealthy behaviors, or mental health concerns, such depression, fear, anxiety, low self-esteem, co-dependency, divorce, and grief. If you do, then it is time for you to seek the help of a professional. I am here to help you.

When you look in the mirror, you struggle to love the image reflected back to you. Your body holds painful stories that keep you feeling defective, unloved, and hidden. In an effort to dial back the pain, you've tried critiquing and shaming your body into changing, but it didn't work. And it just left you feeling more broken, alone, and frustrated. You want to learn how to stop the war with your body, heal the parts of you that are hurting, and gain a sense of freedom. What would it be like to be present in your body and begin to create a new relationship with your body that allows you to wholeheartedly flourish and heal?

Eating disorders, body image concerns, and body dissatisfaction have been on the rise for years, with many reporting an increase in these concerns since the pandemic. Recovery can feel daunting and near impossible, but it is an attainable reality. I work with teens and young adults who are navigating recovery from eating disorders and negative body image, healing sexual trauma, processing relationship distress, and facing the unique challenges of adolescence and early adulthood.

Welcome! Reaching out for help is not always easy. Like you, many people have experienced anxiety, depression, life stress, relationship issues, and trauma. Some have tried to heal on their own and struggled. Others have tried talk therapy and felt disheartened by it. Many clients show up here when they have lost hope in their healing journey. To minimize this, a unique and evidence-based approach that allows the brain and body to heal is provided here. Healing these parts of you is crucial to feeling better. Some clients have seen a positive change in their mood, thoughts, and behaviors in 2-3 sessions. Sound interesting? It is.

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 have significant experience providing therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. I use a strength based perspective believing that each one of us have inherent strengths that can help us manage life. My framework is based on trauma and attachment approaches which emphasize that the stress an individual experiences is usually rooted in a traumatic event that has formed negative beliefs, dysruption of lifestyle, change in family system, or that has helped to develop a less than satisfying parent child relationship . My ideal client is an individual that wants to have a happier life or a family or couple that wants more peace.

Life is a journey that we all go through, and it presents us with many obstacles to navigate. Sometimes these obstacles can present us with challenges that can lead us to feel depressed, overwhelmed, stressed, withdrawn, or even isolated. When we learn to create balance in our life, we begin to feel a sense of joy and happiness for the person we are meant to be. I would like to partner with you as you explore life’s challenges and concerns and help you in identifying feelings and thought patterns and assist you in developing effective coping and self-care strategies that will strengthen your everyday life.

I am a dedicated and compassionate counselor who specializes in working with women. I provide a safe and empowering space for women to explore their unique experiences, challenges, and strengths. With a deep understanding of the complex factors that shape women's lives, I am committed to helping them navigate through various life stages and foster personal growth.