Find a Therapist in Oakton, VA

I believe therapy should be a safe place where a person can explore personal issues and find solutions that will last a lifetime. I provide listening, validation, feedback, intervention, and collaboration to help clients to achieve their goals

It is my nature to be pretty straightforward and I really value openness, compassion, and genuineness both professionally and personally. As a therapist, I am more goal directed and want you to feel growth and movement on the issues that bring you to therapy.

Do you ever feel like there's an instruction book to life that everyone got but you? Does it seem like everyone else "has it all together" and you're just trying to fake your way through life? Not a good feeling, is it? Believe it or not, you're not alone, and you're not as bad as you think. You've learned ways to think and feel about yourself that made sense in the past, but they aren't working so well now. I specialize in helping my clients identify their unhelpful ways of thinking and feeling so they can choose to think and feel differently about themselves and improve their self-esteem. I also help clients to process traumatic experiences, both "big T" traumas (like combat, sexual and physical assaults, and car accidents), and "little T" traumas (like negative interactions that lead to a poor self-image). Contact me today so I can help you to understand why you shouldn't believe everything you think!

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia with 10 years of experience working in addiction treatment, trauma recovery, and mental health care. I work with adults navigating burnout, identity shifts, grief, and relationship struggles, as well as those seeking clarity after trauma or major life transitions. I support people who feel overwhelmed, misunderstood, or disconnected, and who are ready to rediscover themselves in a space that fosters growth, healing, and self-awareness.

Do you get extra nervous around other people—especially new people or people that you do not know very well? Do you find yourself overthinking everything you say because you are worried about saying the "wrong thing"? Or after a conversation, you replay the entire conversation in your mind and get stuck on worrying that you embarrassed yourself? Perhaps there is a social activity that you would like to do, but you avoid it due to how anxious it makes you feel? Everyone can have experiences like these sometimes, but if you find that anxiety about interacting with other people is interfering with your life, then social anxiety may be the cause. If so, then I can help: I specialize in working with people who are struggling with social anxiety. First, we'll do a thorough assessment just to make sure that social anxiety is the best explanation for what you are experiencing. If it is, you will learn to identify and challenge the thoughts and beliefs that are feeding into your anxiety, reduce the power of your thoughts and feelings, gradually confront the very situations that are making you feel so anxious, and move toward your values. By doing this, you can start to feel better. While that does not always mean that your anxiety will completely go away, it means that the anxiety will likely be much more manageable—you will be able to do more of what is important to you and actually enjoy it. To help determine whether working together would be a good fit, the next step is to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation—no pressure, just a conversation. You can schedule online by going to my website, send me a message (best way to reach me), or give me a call. I will get back to you very quickly, usually within 24 hours!

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania and a grief specialist who understands what it’s like to experience loss because I’ve had many losses, too. I can help you feel less alone, confused, and helpless. I am a faith-based counselor who uses a variety of approaches so you feel heard, understood, and supported. You will leave my sessions with helpful coping tools to help you navigate grief and loss.

You may be feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, unable to focus, or frustrated because treatments you’ve tried haven’t given you the relief you hoped for. Maybe you’re looking for answers, considering medication for the first time, or simply want a psychiatric provider who will listen without making you feel rushed or dismissed. I believe good psychiatric care starts with understanding you as a whole person, not just a diagnosis or a list of symptoms. I take time to learn about what you’re experiencing, how it affects your everyday life, what you’ve tried before, and what you hope will change. Together, we’ll develop a treatment plan that makes sense for your needs and goals. When medication is appropriate, I’ll explain your options, expected benefits, possible side effects, and alternatives so you can make informed decisions about your care. Treatment doesn’t end with writing a prescription. We’ll monitor how you’re doing and make thoughtful adjustments as needed. I work with adolescents and adults experiencing attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), anxiety, depression, bipolar diagnosis, obsessive-compulsive challenges (OCD), trauma-related symptoms, sleep difficulties, and other mental health concerns. My approach is compassionate, collaborative, culturally responsive, and evidence-based. My goal is for you to leave our appointments feeling heard, respected, and more confident about the next steps in your mental health care.

If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with one of our therapists, please use the contact form on our WEBSITE www.imaracounseling.com and a member of our intake team will be in touch with you within 24 business hours. Unlike many other practices you reach out to, we will respond and do our best to schedule you with someone who can assist you.

My approach to helping includes a belief that all people have the desire and innate ability to grow and change throughout the life span. Additionally, I believe we all want to live happy and fulfilling lives. However, at times we become afraid of change, get stuck in old behaviors and stories and get sidetracked by life's many challenges and demands. We lose our vision, our goals and lose our way in life. A therapist can provide an objective, nonjudgmental, and caring space in which to regain clarity and the ability to move forward again in life in the most healthy and productive manner. The therapy process is a joint venture in which the ultimate goal is to remember andor learn to be your own best guide in life and to be open to accepting help from others along the way.

Hi there, nice to meet you! I specialize in working with teens and young adults navigating challenges like depression, anxiety, trauma, behavioral concerns, stress, and self-esteem. I offer a supportive space where you can explore what’s weighing on you and begin to move toward healing and balance. I present with over a decade of experience in the mental health field. My approach is person-centered and tailored to your needs. I draw from a range of therapeutic methods, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma-informed care, strengths-based strategies, psychoeducation, mindfulness, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Clients often tell me they appreciate the calm, welcoming environment I create. We’ll work at your pace, and you’ll never be pushed to go faster than you’re ready for. I’m passionate about this work because I get to witness real transformation—watching clients grow, heal, and reconnect with themselves is incredibly rewarding.

My communication style is warm, empathetic, and non-judgmental. I believe in creating a collaborative and trusting therapeutic relationship where you feel heard, understood, and valued. I will actively listen to your story, offer feedback and insights, and empower you to find your path to healing and growth.

Accepting new clients remotely and in person. I've practiced psychotherapy for over 40 years, and during most of that time also taught psychiatric residents at Johns Hopkins Medical School. My areas of specialization are bipolar type 2 and borderline personality condition. I've also worked with many entrepreneurs since the publication of my book, The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between (a Little) Craziness and (a Lot of) Success in America. What's different about me is that after receiving traditional training, I've integrated it with meditation. Mindfulness, especially when combined with therapy, provides calm, objective self-awareness that leads to self-control, which may lessen the need for medication. More meditation can mean less medication. More recently, I'm working with research subjects who have undergone psilocybin therapy for a book, "The Cosmic Consciousness Cure." Affecting the same brain areas as meditation, psilocybin therapy produces a quantum leap in mindfulness. I'd be happy to speak with anyone seeking legal psilocybin treatment. I can't provide it, but it is now legally available in Oregon, and I would be happy to work with clients on integrating that experience.