Family Therapy in Williamsburg, VA

Choosing a therapist can be difficult. Do you ever sense that your full story goes unnoticed? I'm Christine Ferguson, a seasoned Licensed Professional Counselor with over 15 years experience specializing in ADHD and its accompanying traumas. Amidst ADHD, anxiety, depression, and societal pressures, we often grapple with feeling unseen and invalidated. But what if we reframed our narrative? What if we recognized our strengths, our innate 'superpowers'? Let's shift the perspective and embrace your unique gifts. With a focus on supporting late diagnosis ADHD I offer tailored guidance as we navigate your personal journey.

Accepting New Clients. In-person or telehealth. Evening appointments. We all experience life challenges at some point that require a level of support and guidance that our friends and family may not be equipped to provide. Maybe there are problems in your relationship with your partner, child, or parents and you feel confused, hurt, or angry. Maybe you’re experiencing anxiety or sadness that has begun to impact the quality of your daily life. Maybe you’re struggling with low self-esteem or constant self-doubt. Or maybe you feel stuck and unsure how to move forward in life.

Trying to juggle the stressors of work, family, that dreaded daily "to do" list and fit in a social or personal life can be overwhelming. If you, like many others in the world have a history of trauma, whether it be due to occupation, childhood or situations that occurred in your adult years, managing daily life can be that much more difficult.

I help clients find perspective and balance in their situations. Obstacles and challenges are really opportunities for personal growth. My specialties include working with addictions, grief/loss, couple's and family counseling, trauma and PTSD; and mood and anxiety disorders. I have a B.A. in Psychology and Master's in Counseling from the College of William and Mary. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor.

My approach is centered in unconditional acceptance of my Client’s experiences and feelings. I strive to create an environment in which my Client can use their individual strengths to make constructive changes in the areas in their life which they are struggling. I utilize a holistic approach, individually tailored to the needs and concerns of each individual, couple, or family I work with. Drawing from person-centered, cognitive-behavioral, and solution focused theories. In an effort to ensure counseling services are emotionally beneficial, behaviorally focused, and holistically bound.

I help address the root causes of behavioral disorders and mental health issues, whether stress in the home, work related stressors, physical, relational, etc. I use an array of psychotherapy modalities including child centered play therapy (sand, art, dance, music), cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, family counseling as well as industrial organizational psychology modalities for work related stressors. The goal is to decrease the behavioral disorders and / or mental health symptoms to restore optimal functioning in the home and work environment.

Through an authentic and acceptance-based relationship, I empower clients to address depression, anxiety, trauma, stress, marriage and family concerns, and parenting challenges. I also specialize in issues specific to men such as sex, identity, fidelity, and fatherhood. I would love to join with you on your journey towards wellness. My passion is helping and empowering families, couples, and individuals. Often life will give us situations that seem hopeless, but together I join with my clients in restoring that hope.I love working with families to heal and create stronger, more unified bonds.

I practice CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), TF-CBT (trauma-focused CBT), ABA (applied behavioral analysis), solution-focused therapy, and structural and strategic family therapy. I love learning about neurobiology and the effects that stress has on the brain. A client can expect to encounter a warm, compassionate, and encouraging soul who has a dry sense of humor and tends to address problems in a straightforward manner.

Life can be difficult to navigate with challenges from the past and ongoing stressors which feels as if we're in a constant state of survival. Sound familiar? You are not alone. Therapy can be a safe space to explore and process these stressors, feelings, thoughts, etc. I work from a person-centered perspective to process your feelings, identify strengths, and help you access the tools you need to take back control to navigate the direction of your life. Through the art of processing information and applying evidence-based interventions, we will work together to meet your therapy goals and get a better grip on life.

I am a licensed clinical social worker with a specialty serving infants, toddlers and pre-school aged children and their families, and also serve elementary school-aged children. As a parent and a professional, I know how challenging parenting young children can be. I also know how foundational the early years are to children and newly developing families. I want to support caregivers to figure out strategies for best supporting and encouraging their children's behavior. This can include supporting a child who experiences an unfortunate hardship/ trauma, a family experiencing difficulties, or a child who displays challenging behavior.

My therapeutic style is strengths-based, client-centered, and collaborative. It is my belief that all of us possess skills that can be identified and adapted to serve us for the better. I incorporate emotion-focused, cognitive-behavioral, experiential, and narrative techniques into my counseling. I also find it beneficial to draw upon my background in human development and family systems. Most importantly, I strive to meet each client where they are in their individual journey.

Welcome to Oak Counseling! As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), my primary population is adolescents and those transitioning to adulthood. I enjoy getting to know each client individually to learn the best approach to individualize their therapy experience. This often includes strength-based approaches, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused approaches to aid clients work through individual goals, barriers, and strengths. While I primarily utilize in-person sessions with children, I do offer virtual sessions for teens and young adults who may not be local to Williamsburg, or have transportation barriers.

I have worked with children and families, in the mental health field, for over 5 years and received my M.Ed. in Marriage and Family Counseling from the College of William and Mary in 2015. I have a particular passion and focus in providing children and their families emotional and behavioral support, while assisting them in managing life’s daily stressors and navigating difficult transitions. I utilize a person-centered, CBT approach to support my clients in identifying sources of resiliency, building coping skills, and improving communication and self-esteem.

Life can be difficult sometimes; whether you are a teen developing your identity, a family suffering from communication issues, or are an adult that needs support with your mental health. I have over 20 years of experience working with children and adolescents as a school counselor, which also gave me experience working with family units and adults as well. I enjoy helping my clients to learn coping strategies, determine their identities, and feeling support during difficult times. If you, your family, or your teenager are struggling, then I am here to support you in whatever way you might need.

TELEHEALTH AVAILABLE USING A HIPPAA COMPLIANT PLATFORM. Telehealth has been proven effective in treating more mental health issues. At this time, most insurances now cover the service. Are you or your family struggling in your daily lives? Is it depression, anxiety, family dynamics, life changes? Whatever the issue I am here to help you overcome what stands in your way to a peaceful and fulfilling life. I work with teenagers, adults and older adults. I enjoy working with families/parents to provide a safe environment to address difficult dynamics.

Whether you come in with troubles and challenges in your work life, interpersonal relationships, finding a sense of meaning and purpose, or any other of the many struggles that all humans experience from time to time, I am here to encourage positive growth from you. I specialize in career decision-making, family, friendship, or romantic relationship issues, men's issues, and managing anxiety and stress. I am also skilled in working with internet and marijuana addiction. Nonetheless, I enjoy building strong relationships and supporting all of my clients regardless of the challenges they face.

*WILLIAM AND MARY STUDENT AND STAFF experienced. I provide a positive, supportive and nurturing environment for exploration of challenges such as anxiety, depression, life transitions and adjustment issues, relationship problems, grief, trauma, academic and job performance and chronic illness. I am experienced in many approaches including mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, family systems and creative and alternative therapies such as expressive arts.

We're all trying to get through life....and we weren't meant to navigate it alone. Sometimes we just need an ear, a shoulder, or someone to even hold up the proverbial roadmap and walk alongside us to keep it moving forward. Life carries us through many seasons, often resulting in confusion, chaos, anxiety, depression, illness, grief, and traumatic events. Sometimes they happen as children and young adults, resulting in "stuff" we carry into our adulthood; this has an enormous impact on the quality of our lives. The good news is, there's help! You don't have to suffer alone and in silence.

Life can become complicated, overwhelming, and difficult. Counseling services create an important relationship in your life that allows for the framework to alleviate a number of struggles: anxiety, depression, grief, eating disorders, family conflict, adolescent struggles, and self exploration. Counseling provides a safe place to take risks, be vulnerable, gain support and become empowered to make changes in one’s life.