Therapy for Adults in Richmond, VA
Internal Family Systems (IFS-informed care)
You’re managing. But something still isn’t working.
Therapy for adults who are ready to understand what’s happening inside. And find a way forward that actually fits their life.
Does any of this sound familiar?
You keep running into the same walls in your relationships, in how you feel about yourself, in patterns you've tried to change and can't. Maybe you shut down when things get hard. Or the opposite: emotions take over and you can't find the off switch. You might be your own harshest critic, or feel a low-grade anxiety or sadness that never quite goes away.
On the outside, things probably look fine. You show up. You function. But inside, there's a gap between the life you're living and the one you want — and it's exhausting to carry that quietly.
“I want things to be different. I’m just not sure how to get there…or whether I even can.”
What it’s like to work with me
The approach: Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy
I practice Internal Family Systems therapy, also called IFS or "parts work." It's an evidence-based model built on a simple but powerful idea: we all have different parts of ourselves that can be in conflict. The part that wants to change, and the part that's scared to. The part that pushes people away, and the part that craves connection. The part that's exhausted, and the part that keeps going anyway.
These aren't problems to be eliminated. They're expressions of your inner world that make sense when you understand them. IFS helps you get curious about these parts rather than fighting them, and to develop the kind of self-understanding that leads to real, lasting change.
You don't need to know anything about IFS to benefit from it. It unfolds naturally in the work.
IFS is effective for anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic self-criticism, emotional dysregulation, and difficulties in relationships. I have completed Level 1 training in the IFS model through the IFS Institute, the formal training program developed by IFS founder Dr. Richard Schwartz.
To learn if IFS work could be a good fit for you, read “When Knowing Isn’t Enough: How IFS Can Bridge the Gap.”
For those who prefer podcasts, check out these resources from the IFS Institute.
How therapy feels matters just as much as what happens in it.
Sessions feel like a real conversation with a real person. I'm direct and actively engaged, not a blank wall who just nods and reflects things back at you. At the same time, you'll feel genuinely heard, not directed or judged.
I think of my role like a GPS. You decide where we're going: what you want to work on, what matters, what change looks like for you. I help us get there. You're always in the driver's seat. You're the expert on your own experience. My job is to offer active support and guidance while making sure you feel understood every step of the way.
No one approach works for everyone, and I'm not here to impose one. We figure it out together.
What to expect in therapy
The first session is about getting oriented together. We build a real picture of what you’re struggling with. You’ll also start learning to slow down and “look inside” with curiosity instead of judgment, a foundational skill we return to throughout our work.
Subsequent sessions focus on understanding the roots of your concerns and struggles. With compassion, we explore where these patterns, feelings, and inner conflict came from. Understanding the origins changes the relationship you have with them.
Over time, you develop new ways of being. You develop skills and new ways of relating to yourself and other others. We build together a system that actually works for your life.
If you are curious if I may be a good fit for you and your needs, contact me for a consultation. No pressure, just a conversation.
I am authorized to provide telehealth services through PSYPACT which allows me to work with clients located in: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.