Welcome! I’m Dona – a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia. I have been working in the mental health field since 1994. Since that time I have worked in a variety of settings to include psychiatric acute inpatient treatment units, residential treatment units, community mental health case management, intensive in-home therapy services, outpatient therapy, and crisis response and stabilization. I have held positions of direct service, supervisory, managerial, and administrative in both the private and public realms of mental health practice. All of these environments provided me opportunities to learn and grow as a mental health provider. I believe everyone has the ability to make positive change in their life when given the opportunity to do so.
In 2018 I began work as an outpatient therapist and have had the privilege of walking beside my clients as they worked their way thru grief, anxiety, depression, and trauma.
I have completed EMDR Training I & II as well as Cognitive Processing Therapy. Both of these approaches to therapy have been shown to be effective in addressing and managing the symptoms to PTSD.
I have received training in ERP, the most recommended approach to treating OCD, and am currently working toward certification and to expand my knowledge of this approach to therapy in order to further assist my clients who present with OCD. I also have training in I-CBT to address OCD without the use of exposures while focusing on the reasoning process involved with OCD.
When not working you can find me spending time with my husband and our dog, Raylan. I enjoy movies, reading, watching baseball, and spending time at the beach. I make an effort to engage in meditation regularly and attend yoga classes to assist with self-care and strengthen the mind/body connection.
Qualifications:
BA Human Services & Psychology – Virginia Wesleyan College
Master in Social Work – Norfolk State University
Board of Social Work License# 0904010797 Issued November 2018
Member of:
National Association of Social Workers
EMDR International Association
International OCD Foundation