Welcome to Nivalis Counseling

As a trauma therapist, I know firsthand how easy it is to build coping mechanisms that seem to keep everything under control. Like so many of us, I spent years building strategies that would keep everything under control and somehow make everything okay. But deep down, things were not working out and I wasn’t okay – I just didn’t realize it at the time.

When things got really hard, I started looking for help, but finding the right support felt impossible. I went from therapist to therapist, feeling invisible, unimportant, and like they just didn’t care to make the effort to connect.

And then, I met a therapist who changed everything. This therapist was kind, warm, and compassionate. They saw me. They made me feel like I mattered. For the first time, I felt truly cared for and understood. That experience not only helped me heal, but also reminded me of a dream I’d carried for so long: to become the kind of therapist who helps people feel that they matter, that they’re important, and that their healing journey is worth every effort.

That’s when I knew – I was meant to do this work, just as I’d dreamed as a child, but now with the deep understanding that only comes from walking this path myself. Many hoops later, here we are. 

Today, as a trauma therapist in Northern Virginia, I help adults heal from PTSD, anxiety, depression, and childhood trauma. I understand what it feels like to search for someone who truly gets it, and I’m committed to being that person for you. I am certified in EMDR and in Brainspotting – two powerful, evidence-based approaches specifically focused on resolving trauma.