Therapists in Arlington County, VA

We all have a story and experience to share. I am here to sit with you in yours. I believe in compassion and personal empowerment as the doorway to change and real growth. If you are struggling with expressing emotions, managing behavior, speaking up for yourself, finding personal value, struggles in your relationship or with your confidence, identity, or faith, you do not have to do so alone. I believe in providing you with a safe place to explore, set goals, and to be heard.

Going through life's challenges can be overwhelming and confusing. No one is immune to hardship and struggle. I will work collaboratively with you to create positive change and focus on issues which impair overall functioning and movement forward. Together we will identify what is most distressing and create the coping tools necessary to move toward a healthier, calmer, and more balanced future. I have worked in an acute counseling environment for the past twelve years with children, young teens and adults, and have offered a compassionate focus to my counseling.

I have been working with individuals, couples and groups for over 25 years. I see psychotherapeutic work as a collaborative process in which we thoughtfully consider the past personal history and how that impacts present feelings and behaviors. In a therapeutic environment of safety and compassion, we explore how to use that information to construct healthy relationships and a satisfying life. Recently, I have been working with Animal Assisted Psychotherapy. My 9-pound Shih-Tzu dog, Stella, is certified as a "Pet Partner" and she is in all individual, couples and group sessions assisting in the therapeutic process.

Martha has more than 25 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker helping people with trauma, bipolar disorder and symptoms of anxiety and depression. She is easy to connect with and provides a warm and nonjudgmental presence to facilitate your journey toward wholeness.

“I’m here to encourage people in their moments of hurt, confusion, and disorder. I work to enlighten them on how to use tools to begin healing and growing. I focus on empowering them as they embark on these journeys with me, so they are equipped to thrive when they are ready to navigate without me.”

I am a licensed Resident in Marriage and Family therapy. I received my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy from the College of William and Mary and my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Political Science from the University of South Carolina. I have experience working with individuals, families, couples, and groups. These experiences solidified my passion for working with a diverse population of families and individuals. I have experience working with military families, LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, and families, and adolescents.

If you are coming to therapy from a place of feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or confused, I want to assure you that you are not alone. I am passionate about working with the LGBTQIA+ community, and I have worked with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. I use a trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, feminist approach in my counseling, and I have experience using cognitive behavioral therapy as well. I have experience working with adolescents, young adults, and adults both in private practice and nonprofit settings.

I love working with teens and adults who are exhausted from constantly thinking about food and their body, hate what they see when they look in the mirror, and are sick and tired of feeling trapped by an eating disorder.

Do you have high hopes for your life, but feel there is a part of you that is keeping you stuck? Do you know what you want, but have trouble understanding the blocks or patterns that get in the way? As Carl Jung stated, "Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." Imagine living your life with insight into your unconscious, and alignment with your true-self. No more unwittingly repeating the past, thinking early conditioning/survival techniques are reality. Instead, live from who you truly are and watch life flow easily as you enjoy being with yourself and living.

Startasha Dillard is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia and the District of Columbia. She has 16 years of experience in the behavioral health field. She has worked with individuals with both mental health and substance use disorders. She has worked with adults seeking help with addiction, anxiety, stress, depression, trauma, anger, and relationship issues. She creates a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to share, and she always maintains an open ear, flexibility, and awareness necessary to meet the unique needs of the individual.

I am a licensed professional counselor who has a passion for helping individuals explore and solve their own problems. I have over 17 years of experience in the field of mental health working with a diverse population. I am an innovative and effective professional with outstanding therapeutic and interpersonal skills. I have a talent for motivating, teaching, supporting, and effectively collaborating with individuals to meet their treatment goals. I am highly motivated and conscientious. I can offer a wealth of knowledge, experience, and transferable skills in therapeutic sessions.

As a fellow truth seeker and meaning maker, I know firsthand how challenges in life can seem inescapable at times. I also personally understand the layered impact that a history of trauma has on our physical, emotional, and spiritual selves. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker passionate about supporting women to learn to connect, cultivate, and honor their deepest sense of self, from the inside out, and what I like to think of as on a soul level. I want to support you to learn how to own all parts of yourself - mindfully, without judgment, and to honor your soul.

Many of us face difficult times in our lives, which may lead us to seek out help from others. I believe that psychotherapy can facilitate gaining a better understanding of ourselves, helping you to become more resilient and improve your sense of self. Those who engage in therapy often find that as a result they are able to live more open, genuine, and fulfilling lives.

I help clients achieve their goals by utilizing research-based interventions within a warm, nonjudgmental, and supportive therapeutic space. In this fast-paced and often high-pressure region in which we live, having a place to talk about the things going on in your life without having to worry about how it might impact others can be a relief within itself. I specialize in working with children (ages 10+), adolescents, and adults.

Do you love your partner yet hate your recurring conflicts? You ask yourself “why” only to come up empty-handed, or blaming your partner. It is not a mystery. A tandem approach to relationship conflict management and resolution is in order: effective communication leading to understanding and conflict management through principled collaborative negotiation. You and your partner are evolving beings. The resulting friction in the form of arguments/fights can be addressed by learning strategies to allow flexibility for growth while strengthening the foundation of your togetherness.

Do you find yourself overwhelmed with stress or worries in your daily life? Is it having an impact on your work, relationships, or how you feel about yourself? Often, we can manage stress on our own, but other times, it's helpful to seek out a therapist for support. In therapy, we can work to improve self-awareness and understand our reactions to triggering events. We can learn specific skills to help with stress and coping, practice new ways to think about situations, find courage to make important decisions, and adjust our behavior in ways that may lead to more positive outcomes.

I am a Resident in Counseling in the state of Virginia with Arlington-based eating disorder nonprofit, Rock Recovery. We offer individual and group therapy across DC, MD and VA, as well as support groups nationwide, to help people find freedom and healing in their relationship with food and their bodies. Our services are offered on a generous sliding scale, because we believe finances should never be a barrier to care. My goal is create a space for clients to feel comfortable and safe, encourage self-exploration to resolve core issues regarding their disordered eating/negative body, and help clients to evolve in their authenticity.

Are you in search of support? Are you struggling with symptoms of trauma, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, personal growth, life transitions, relationship conflict, multicultural issues, religion, spirituality, self-harm, suicidal ideation, or bipolar/mood disorders?

Audrey provides services for children, individuals, couples, and families. She aims to offer her clients a safe, empathic, and non-judgmental space to explore thoughts, behaviors, and emotions with the goal of developing more effective coping and problem-solving skills to promote more satisfying intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships. Her approach as a person-centered counselor is to meet each client and their unique needs exactly where they are upon beginning counseling. She utilizes techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and family systems theory to approach clients in a holistic manner.