Therapists in Williamsburg, VA

Hello, I am an EMDR Certified Therapist and Certified Brainspotting Practitioner. If you were wondering the answer is no, you are not crazy and you are not broken! Whatever happened that has you stuck I am here to help you make the connections and empower you to become the person you want to be and not the person you had to be! Are you tired of the same negative thinking patterns, unhealthy relationships, and self-doubt? Do you feel your emotions, thoughts, and past all control you? If you are ready to do the deep work to rewire your brain and body system using the most effective techniques I am the counselor.

Sarah Balascio is a nationally board-certified art therapist and adjunct lecturer with over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, seniors, families, and groups. Sarah has a master’s degree in Education from Lesley University in Massachusetts and a second master’s degree in Art Therapy from Pratt Institute in New York. She has practiced art therapy in hospitals including New York Presbyterian, residential programs for adolescents, eating disorder treatment centers, schools, autism centers, the College of William & Mary, and in private practice.

Life can be full of challenges that may deprive you of your serenity. Are you in need of relief from emotions or relationships that are intense or emotionally painful? Maybe you're constantly in disagreement with your partner, and can't figure out why. Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, difficult memories, disordered eating, or dealing with the impact of a challenging past? Are you in recovery and finding it hard to navigate the challenges of early sobriety, like guilt and shame, or the pressured fear of letting others down? Whatever your stressors, you too can experience peace and live a productive life.

NOT ACCEPTING CLIENTS AT THIS TIME. Sometimes it seems like things are never going to get better. Life feels unbearable. You didn’t plan for this. It’s unfair. You have suffered for a long time. You deserve support from a therapist who is validating, competent, tolerant, reliable, and authentic, who values your honest feedback in sessions, and is unafraid to speak up and say what needs to be said. You are doing the best you can AND have it in you to try harder and do better with the right support.

I have a passion for working with college aged individuals and young adults, but welcome individuals at any age or phase of life. Therapy with me means being seen for who you are, and embracing everything you can be. It would be an honor to walk alongside you in your mental health journey, and I look forward to meeting you!

These past few years have been rough. It is so common to ignore/avoid difficult thoughts, experiences, and feelings. You do not have to do that anymore. I am extending a personal invitation for you to step into a safe space to talk through life WITH ME. I would consider it an honor to partner with you on a healing path. Therapy is not about someone telling you what to do or highlighting all of your flaws. It is about your willingness to work through your stuff, uncover what is already there, and find your own truth with someone coaching, cheering, navigating, challenging, and supporting you along the way.

We are facing challenging times as individuals and as a society. If you are struggling and wondering how you are going to make it, you are not alone. You want to uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating, but you feel uncertain. You wonder if the goals you had 3 years ago will be relevant in the future. You may be at a stage in your life when what worked before does not work any longer. You've experienced losses, sudden life changes, and difficult relationships, and your friends, family, books, and religious communities don't have the answers. You know you need a change, but you're not sure what or how.

Counseling is an opportunity to walk alongside someone struggling with issues that are common to humans, but impacting them in a particular way. I consider it an honor to be invited into another's thought life and I seek to offer perspective, provide encouragement, and nurture growth through difficult circumstances. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and have additional training in biblical counseling from the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (ccef.org). I have 17 years of clinical social work experience.

Unable to Accept New Clients At This Time... Open-minded/progressive, with 25+ years experience, counseling services are designed to assist in gaining insight on issues, concerns and problems resulting from being human in a complex and sometimes difficult world. The focus of my practice is developing skills necessary to meet life’s challenges. Since research supports the therapeutic relationship as best predictor of counseling outcome, I welcome you to explore my bio to see if I’m a possible fit for you (details about me are available on my website: drbrendel.com).

NOTE: I Am Not Taking New Clients. I am a bilingual (Spanish & English) Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) (Supervisor) and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S). I use a variety of approaches in my clinical work with children and adults including Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Approaches are selected and adapted to fit the client's age, interests, and treatment needs. I work with individual children and families, individual adults and couples, and offer parenting consultation.

I provide services to those who are facing a wide range of mental health challenges by helping them navigate through anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and other issues. My approach is multifaceted in order to address unique needs and circumstances. Empowering you to believe in your agency to shape your own life is a crucial aspect of my work. By helping you build skills to manage stress, develop healthy relationships, and process trauma, I'll help equip you with the tools you need to not only cope with life's challenges but also to thrive. I offer a haven to explore your strengths, vulnerabilities, and aspirations.

I believe all of us have an infinite capacity to heal ourselves. Accessing that capacity is not always easy. Fear blocks our ability to think clearly and creatively and to act with confidence. When our fears are taken seriously and addressed completely with compassion and curiosity they relax and we are able to access the qualities within ourselves that give us the ability to face our challenges. I enjoy helping adults (18 to 80+), couples and families move from feeling stuck, frustrated, anxious, hopeless and overwhelmed to feeling confident in their ability to meet the the challenges of their lives.

I specialize in working with patients who have been impacted by substance use disorder. I also have worked with clients who struggle with depression, anxiety, emotional regulation, self-esteem, and confidence. I focus on the struggles that come with different transitional stages in our lives and use different techniques to address emotional distress, coping mechanisms, and emotional intelligence. I use strength-based techniques along with CBT and solution-focused therapeutic models to assist with achieving therapeutic goals. I have worked with adolescents, college students, and adults in many different settings.

I specialize in early childhood mental health and social emotional development with children ages 0-12. My clients are typically children struggling with anxiety, school-related issues, working through complex trauma, or demonstrating behavioral concerns. I offer a perspective of lived-experience for neurodiverse and military families.

You matter. Your goals, needs, passions and struggles are important – and it’s my deep privilege to walk with you, whatever your path holds. With compassionate presence – and mindful of your strengths and history – we’ll work together to nourish insights, strategies, and resources that will best support you in overcoming difficulty and meeting life whole-heartedly. I bring a holistic, person-centered, attachment- and mindfulness-based approach to working with children, teens, and adults experiencing a wide range of life challenges.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor experienced in working with individuals dealing with issues of relationship, depression, trauma, anxiety, self-esteem, confusion, hurt and anger. Additionally, I am a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor and am experienced in working with issues associated with alcohol and drug dependency, including co-dependency and adult children of alcoholics (ACOA). I have experience in working with many women's issues and issues dealing with changes in the stages of life. I am also trained to work with many of the concerns that members of the military and their families deal with.

Please EMAIL. I create a safe holding space where people can deeply explore what is blocking them from enjoying their lives to the fullest. Life is going to present challenges, there is no getting around that. What we do now and how we move forward is what matters. I welcome you to come explore your negative beliefs and strengthen new positive adaptive beliefs that allow you to thrive in your daily life. My experiences enable me to effectively work with people on a wide range of problems, including PTSD, CPTSD, attachment, relationships, low self-esteem, co-dependency, anxiety, abuse, neglect, and recovery from addiction.