Optima Therapists in Virginia

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor specializing in individual, couples and family therapy. Also, I am a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator (CDWF) based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown. My treatment approach is to provide support with insight and feedback to help clients address current challenges and long-standing issues. With sensitivity and compassion, I draw from different styles and techniques to incorporate what is most helpful for each individual. Together with each client, I work to build on strengths and achieve life goals.

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.

Paula O’Leary is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has worked in the mental health field for 15 years in a variety of settings, including outpatient, school, community-based, residential, hospital, and correctional settings. Paula specializes in treating depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, substance use, and other issues. She completed her master's degree at Cardinal Stritch University. Paula has also completed additional training in trauma and has obtained certification as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP).

In providing mental health care, I have gained experience with a variety of populations, situations, and backgrounds. The majority of my experience accumulated in a residential setting for children and adolescents. As a result of that experience, my practice has evolved to come from a Cognitive Behavioral base with an emphasis on practicing trauma informed care while focusing on mindfulness, being person-centered, and utilizing one’s own strengths as a source of healing.

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 specialize in childhood, adolescent, and young adult mental health, as well as Sports/Performance counseling. I have helped individuals with barriers associated with self-confidence, identity, relationships, depression, anxiety, life transitions (including educational and career changes), family dynamics, lack of motivation, and misplaced meaning and purpose.

Do you need a better way to cope with anxiety or depression? You may need help finding practical strategies & skills to help you not only get through your day, but improve your ability to navigate school or work, relational, and spiritual challenges. You may need a safe place to talk about your beliefs or doubts. Maybe life has changed, and you can't seem to adjust. Maybe it all has become too much, & self-worth, health, and things that were once so important have taken a hit. You would like to feel happy and hopeful again. Or at least have some tools so that you feel a sense of positive progress and growth.

Are you struggling with anxiety or depression? April can assist with processing the source of anxiety and depression while providing research-based coping skills. Has life become overwhelming, and you need a place to sort your thoughts? April can assist in processing through challenging times, including grief counseling. Is your relationship struggling due to marital or relationship conflict? April has been working with couples for over six years.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of VA with over 23 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in various mental health settings. My experience includes providing in-patient care as well as crisis therapy for children and adolescents suffering with various mental health needs. I have provided therapeutic mentoring services for at risk adolescents in the community. I also enjoy working with families and am able to provide family therapy to address various issues that have created barriers within that particular dynamic and have compromised familial relationships in the process.

I see individuals who are experiencing difficulties related to chronic pain/illness, trauma, anxiety, depression, interpersonal conflicts, life transitions, self worth issues or having trouble adjusting to change. My hope is to help my clients gain insight, build resiliency, increase self compassion, and find meaning in their lives. Along with therapy, I also provide financial coaching to people who feel stuck or anxious when it comes to money. Financial coaching addresses the emotional side of money to heal clients' relationship with it, and to create sustainable change in their financial lives.

Does your child's behaviors feel overwhelming and seemingly senseless at times? Are you having a difficult time connecting with your child? Has your child been exposed to a traumatic event? If so, I am here to help. I have an unwavering passion for working with children and adolescents who are having a challenging time managing their psychological and emotional well being. I have received specialized training in assisting children in coping with the effects of traumatic experiences in his/her life; this includes extensive education in the method of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT).

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Registered Art Therapist. I enjoy working with children ages 3+, teens, and young adult women. Specializing in domestic violence and sexual assault, childhood trauma, and grief and loss with children, I work with clients of various ages through individual therapy sessions including some parent-child therapy.

Are you struggling with negative self-talk, low self-esteem, or a lack of self-love? Our self-love therapy can help you overcome these challenges and develop a more positive and compassionate relationship with yourself. Our therapists specialize in helping clients develop self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-love to overcome negative self-talk, and past traumas, and develop a more positive outlook on life. Our self-love therapy is designed to help you develop a deeper understanding of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and to identify and challenge negative self-beliefs that are holding you back.

My mission is to help you improve the quality of your life. Many people struggle with depression or anxiety stemming from marital or personal relationship issues, financial concerns or other life-altering circumstances. For 32 years I have helped clients work through troubling life situations. Your past does NOT predict your future. Who you can become is not defined by who you have been, who you think you are now, or by what experiences may have impacted your life to this point. My role is to challenge and empower you to transform your life, helping you to change your consistent behaviors to produce improved outcomes.

Life can throw us curve balls that cause periods of great stress, anxiety, anger, or depression. If you are dealing with a particularly troubling time, you need to know that there is hope! To get yourself back on the right track, invest in your well-being by inquiring about counseling services. Whether you are dealing with grief or general unhappiness, this caring and compassionate counselor at Southern Virginia Counseling Service, LLC, will provide the helping hand you need to live the life you want. This counselor's clients rely on this counselor to hear them, acknowledge their concerns, and help create a path to a happier future.

Are you or your family struggling with stressful situations, relational difficulties, or feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to move forward? These things can create significant stress in our lives and are sometimes difficult to move through without professional help. These things can keep us stuck. If you are looking to become unstuck and searching for a way to find freedom and regain or gain for the first time a sense of feeling OK, I can help you.

The decision to seek therapy can be a difficult one, and choosing the right therapist can be overwhelming. I am passionate about helping children, teens, and families live a more peaceful and empathetic life.

I believe the key for successful therapy is finding someone you can fully trust and feel completely comfortable with. If you are seeking a warm, inclusive and compassionate therapist to help you on your journey, I’d love to meet with you! Most people who come to see me hope to find clarity on relationships, figure out how to set boundaries, give their life a better sense of direction, or find themselves. Whether you are looking for relief from anxiety and worry, or you are trying to regain joy and rhythm of life, I’d be honored to help you on that journey.

You may feel desperate, alone, and misunderstood. You feel like you are floating in the bottom of a lake and cannot see the light above you. Everyday, you feel like you are just going through the motions. If this describes you, then I may be the therapist for you. In my ten years of experience, I have helped people like you reach their potential and achieve the recovery that they needed. There is no set system or quick fix as others may promise, but I will walk down the road with you. My online practice provides care anywhere you are, in the comfort of your own environment.