Transgender Therapists in Charlottesville, VA

I focus on individual Trauma, Couples, and Family. With years of family and individual work I've developed a flexible ability to meet adult and teen needs from parenting, marital, and developmental trauma and transitions of life. My work is informed by an attachment approach where I seek to create safety with you to untie negative relational patterns and move into greater awareness and courage. To assist my clients with underlying issues of trauma, my training in AEDP, EMDR and somatic approaches are well suited. I also use Ketamine Assisted Therapy in my office to break through old, unconscious patterns.

The nexus of emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical health is integral to healing. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Mindful Self-Compassion informed Psychotherapist, I believe in the potential that relationships offer for growth and healing. Using authentic warmth, empathy, and humor, I create a safe environment where clients feel supported to explore and heal. I honor each individual’s story, experience, and ways of coping and believe that each and every one of us has the fundamental capacity to grow and evolve.

I highly value trust and connection in order for humans to heal. I bring my authentic self and transparency into session in order to give clients the ability to be fully themselves. My goal is to help ease psychological suffering brought on by trauma and other negative life circumstances and then make sense of the overwhelming emotions/responses. It is through compassion and connection that corrective emotional experiences can occur. I believe that our ability to both experience and understand our Self and others is a key component in building secure (emotionally safe) relationships.

I work with individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, relationship, identity, personal and professional growth. I could not cover all 24 years of work though. Ask me. Insight through understanding your present life, relationships and your desired future can lead to increased success and satisfaction. My advanced clinical training was in Austin, TX. I am also experienced working with children/adolescents. Currently, I see adults and teens in individual, couples and group therapy soon. I have presented on topics of social development and skills, personal change, life choices, angry behavior control and character development.

Your problems may be specific - a challenging relationship, sexual concerns, upsetting memories, or problem behaviors. Or your struggles may be less tangible - feeling lost, detached, or stuck. In my practice, I offer adult and couples therapy for a range of concerns. I specialize in treating sexual dysfunctions, trauma-related issues, relationship concerns, and problem behaviors. I also provide gender & sexual identity affirming care. I deeply enjoy helping individuals feel a greater sense of self-efficacy, confidence, and clarity in their lives.

People who benefit from therapy with me have often felt misunderstood or even harmed by the mental health system. Whether because of sexuality, gender identity, spirituality, neurodivergence, or non-mainstream relationships, they have found therapy to be unwelcoming or unsafe. This means I try never to take your trust for granted. I engage as fully as possible with your values, needs, and preferences, and I adapt my approach based on your response and feedback. You're always steering the ship in your therapy—I am only a guide.

Welcome! We have all experienced challenges in our lives like no other time. Sometimes we come to a place along our path where we realize what we’ve been doing is no longer serving its purpose and we are ready to manifest a change for ourselves. This often takes courage to make this decision as well as seeking help for direction. I am happy to help you navigate through life challenges. Some of my specialty areas include: addiction and recovery, trauma (physical/emotional/mental/sexual), stress management, nutrition, adjusting to life issues, family (current and family of origin)

I offer therapy & evaluation (testing) services for those 18+. Clients don't come to me because they are happy. They come, most likely, because they are in pain and hurt. They are tired of feeling stuck, and the fear, tears, and whatever seems to be causing them all. They aren’t interested in therapy because they want therapy. In fact, they are not even sure IF they want therapy—but they ARE sure they want to get unstuck and feel better. So, for you: here you are. . . not all that sure that this is going to help but damn sure you want to do something that might make a positive change and get your life moving forward again.

As a therapist, I provide a safe space for you to explore your potential, heal from past wounds, better manage stressors, and develop an actionable plan to work towards the goals you wish to pursue. I work with adults and adolescents (age 16+) and specialize in working with individuals who are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma recovery, parenting challenges, or who are coping with relational, medical, and/or life stressors. I utilize a strengths-based approach with an emphasis on cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused interventions.

I provide therapy from the belief that therapy is a collaborative journey in which, together, we identify what gets in the way of life goals. Then we create a vision along with a plan to go from where you are to where you want to be in their life. I have participated in extensive training as a family and couples therapist with over 10 years of practice experience. Families in which one member exhibits the symptoms of ADHD, ADD, oppositional and defiant behaviors, impulsive and violent behaviors, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities work well with me.

We believe in intentional, flexible, and collaborative services designed to meet each client's unique needs. Empowerment is "the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights." Whether you're looking for symptom reduction, healing from past experiences, increasing understanding/insight, improving relationships, gaining support during difficult times, making difficult changes, or improving/maintaining your overall wellbeing, we look forward to supporting you in reclaiming and improving your life!

Immediate Availability For New Telehealth Clients! My name is Jess, and I offer affirming and supportive therapeutic services and mind-body practices to Virginia Residents. Past or ongoing trauma, divorce or separation, pressure from school or peers, and many other challenges in your life can create anxiety and depression that leave you feeling stuck. You may not even know the reason you feeling down, but together we can choose a path that aligns with your values and beliefs to guide you to a better life and help you achieve your goals.

As a strengths-based and trauma-informed therapist, I am passionate about helping clients to repair deeply held wounds, especially relational wounds, which are often at the core of symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and addictive behaviors. Though I work with clients to help alleviate their troubling symptoms, my work is more fully anchored in the belief that the sensitive exploration of underlying injuries enables not just symptom-reduction but transformation and growth.

I want to help you discover your strengths and explore new possibilities that help you move forward in a new direction. I am passionate about working with couples and individuals, to affect personal growth, empowerment, and enhancing relationships.

As a therapist, I have 25+ years of experience working with adults, teenagers, and families. My counseling approach is trauma-focused and strength based. As your therapist, I am committed to creating a safe space for clients to embrace growth because change occurs one small step at a time. I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Mindfulness and other non-traditional integrative methods to assist clients in managing life stressors, anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief and trauma, as well as other mental health concerns.

When even everyday tasks are overwhelming and healing from emotional trauma seems impossible, it can be hard to reach out for help. I would like to be a non-judgmental ally to you in this process. My approach to therapy is collaborative, innovative and adaptive. We will work together as a team to address the problems and issues that are important in helping you move forward, heal and improve your relationship with yourself and others. My goal is to empower you to meet life’s challenges, as well as to address past trauma and issues that can impact your life today.

I have explored the mind-body connection since 1980. I use healing and recovery models of therapy that respect my clients' strength and potential. I specialize in gentle and supportive methods of assisting clients to overcome the recurrent effects of trauma. I have advanced training and experience with mind/body modalities including EMDR to facilitate healing and foster posttraumatic growth. This generally involves helping a client learn to manage the recurrent symptoms of trauma and concurrently address and heal from the cause.

Healing is sacred work. I honor your whole being, mind, body, and spirit. You can feel more at ease, peaceful, happy, and empowered. You can feel relief from depression, anxiety, grief, and stress. My areas of healing work include anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, building self-confidence, and psychedelic integration. We develop your resilience with therapeutic techniques, including Trauma-Informed Hypnotherapy, transpersonal, somatic, CBT, Mindfulness, EFT, NLP, and self-awareness tools. We will update, redefine, and shift you forward with compassion and skill.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I am continually inspired by the transformative moment that happens in the counseling process. There is a sacredness in being present to another as a guide on this journey we call life. Whether it is exploring inner resources for healing and growth or the possibilities for deep and lasting change, it is an honor to work with people that are desiring a better way to be themselves in the world. My own journey has taught me that being truly present and engaged allows space for the unknown to be revealed, acknowledged, and eventually integrated into the service of the whole self.