My Approach to Helping
Welcome to CHATT. A place that offers counseling, help, advocacy, talk and therapy. My name is Cynthia and I am a social worker, a veteran, a hygienist, a mediator, a parent, a scouter, a dog owner, a voter, an out door enthusiast, a neighbor, a relative, a therapist. We all define our selves by what we experience or do, sometimes we need a sounding board and therapy is a good place to begin to sort out concerns and make new goals.
Therapy can be a place to sort out concerns, seek choices you feel are safe and available, talk about goals and how to get there, and review the past so you can learn better ways to make your future more enjoyable, successful, manageable, and or peaceful. Therapy is a place to chat about your concerns and seek positive opportunities or resolutions for a better future.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I will listen to your concerns and together, help uncover your inner strength and assist in discovering the skills needed to be independent and confident in as much as you are able.
As a Social Worker, I have experience with foster care, adoption, investigations of abuse and neglect, therapy with elderly populations, sexual abuse, couples and individual counseling, Group counseling, Anger Management, teen issues and parenting. I welcome a challenge if you are willing to do the work.
To my fellow veterans, thank you for serving and welcome back.
More Info About My Practice
This private practice only operates within the boundaries of the commonwealth of Virginia. You should get a reply within 48 hrs of the business week or sooner. You may also contact us through the web site chattcounseling.com Click on the icon box under the forest picture...we do our best to answer all requests. If no response, please resend and check your emails to chatt to ensure it was sent to the correct address...we do want to chatt with you!!!
Office appointments are available Monday through Thursdays, 4 to 8 pm. An Initial phone call is required to set up the first appointment and gather information. Office administrative hours are 11 am to 3 pm M-R and Friday until 4 pm. CHATT does try to be flexible, you may request a few best timesdays to get back via phone.
online therapy available after in office session to discuss process
Please do call & leave a message or email or text as to the best time to contact you. we attempt to return calls and or emails at least 3 times.
If you do not get a response the next business day, we did not get your message; glitches do happen, try again.
My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy
psychotherapy is a place you can express yourself and sort through uncomfortable concerns with out being judged.
however, if you agreed to a goal, and therapy sessions are inconsistent, and crisis is the only time you seek therapy, movement toward your goals will often be at a stand still. both you and your therapist will keep repeating the same steps hindering real progress..you must make a commitment to at least see one goal through and work on it regularly.
My Role as a Therapist
is to help you help yourself. I can only do that if you are honest and comfortable with the process. you have to be willing to do the work in session, and continue to do so at home. you have to communicate in session, contribute to your goals and seek positive solutions. talk about obstacles and ways to overcome them. talk about the strength to find ways to make positive change work for you. talk about the failures and how to avoid the pit falls in the future. my role is to help you uncover your potential.
finally, as a therapist and a health care professional, I am a mandated reporter. that means if you are going to hurt yourself or others I have a legal obligation to report and get help so that you will not harm yourself or others.
My Guiding Ethical Principles
is to do no harm. work on a concern. have goals. when therapy goals are achieved, it is time to be independent and try things on your own. it is a wonderful feeling.
you can always return for a check up or follow up or to address new concerns.
my goal for my patients is to help them be autonomous in as much as they are able.
Important Factors for Choosing a Therapist
not every therapist is for everyone. you must feel comfortable enough to trust the person to engage in conversations that are helpful, motivating, goal oriented and honest. being truthful with your therapist is the key to being helped.
What I Say to People Concerned about the Therapy Process
it is a place to sort through concerns. a place to chat! it is like any other health care office you visit to make yourself feel better ...
The Duration and Frequency of Therapy
therapy can be as often as a few times a week or once a week or once a month or as needed. that is something you decide with the therapist. session times and duration and frequency is an individual decision between you and your therapist.
Clinicians who offer sliding scale payment structures may offer lower or reduced fees based on an individual's ability to pay. Please contact this clinician for more details regarding their fees or sliding scale policy.