Our therapists offer blended family therapy in Alexandria, VA

Dee Jacobi-Edwards is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia and a Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) in South Carolina who has helped individuals, couples, and families for over 20 years. Dee works with clients 18 to 99 years old. Her clients have presented with issues including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and relationship difficulties. Dee has also helped clients who have experienced fear or isolation caused by COVID-19. She understands that grief, loss, and bereavement do not only occur when someone dies, but also when a job is lost, or poor health occurs. Having been a hospice social worker, Dee has also counseled individuals and family members after a loved one has been given a terminal diagnosis.

Dee completed her Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) at the University of Texas at Arlington and her Master of Education (MEd) in Rehabilitation Counseling at Springfield College. Utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, clients develop an understanding of the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and are encouraged to cultivate flexibility in the process, leading to change in automatic problem-solving responses. Other techniques used include mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation techniques. Dee is also an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider.

Using a conversational style, Dee collaborates with her clients, whether an individual, a couple, or family members, to identify areas of concern. Together, she and her client analyze what the perceived difficulties are and identify achievable goals. In a supportive and nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship, Dee encourages open communication to resolve conflicts from misunderstandings.

Shirley Hudson is a dual board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) who is passionate about providing evidence-based and personalized care to adult clients. She began her health career treating patients in various settings including spinal cord injury, intensive care, hematology, oncology, and medical-surgical units. As a Christian, Shirley understands there is still a stigma attached to mental illness in many churches. She also has a mission to reduce the stigma of psychiatric disorders by educating clients, families, and the community about mental health disorders.

After years as a registered nurse, she completed her Master of Science in Nursing at Old Dominion University. Through her years at the hospital bedside and clinic, Shirley saw a need for more psychiatric care providers. To help increase access to mental health services, she earned her Post-Masters Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certification.

Shirley believes that the best patient outcomes are built on the foundation of a strong and authentic patient/provider partnership. She values the client as an integral part of the treatment team and works diligently to provide education about all aspects of the mutually agreed-upon treatment plan.

Josephine Dakin- Davis is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHMP) in the of state Virginia. With over 15 years of clinical nursing experience, Josephine came to the realization that a sound mind is the precursor to the sound body and has an ardent passion for Mental Health. 

Josephine graduated from George Mason University in 2010 with a BSN, after ten years of nursing in diverse areas including mental health, and received her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University. Her vast experience has helped her to understand the philosophy of mental health, and her nursing education has exposed her to a variety of health care settings. Goal driven and detailed oriented, patient satisfaction at the top of Josephine's professional agenda. She aims to create a cordial, warm and collaborative relationship with peers and patients.

Lisa Swann is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Virginia; has been a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Addiction Counselor II in the District of Columbia for the last 9 years. Lisa is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Her specialties include depression, suicide ideation, anxiety, complex trauma, PTSD, sexual trauma, substance abuse, support recovery, grief and loss, low self-esteem, chronic pain, and more.

Lisa holds a Bachelor’s in Human Development & Psychology and a Master’s in Counseling. She is a catalyst for change and helps people transform themselves by guiding them through their challenges and empowering them to reach their goals. Her role as a therapist is to ensure a safe, collaborative, and creative place to explore the complexities and challenges of life. She believes therapy is about guiding people to achieve goals they may not think were possible, and assisting clients to learn to recognize their strengths.

Lisa is committed to helping adults and takes a person-centered approach using a strength-based model in working with clients. She brings cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing to assist clients in their discovery, growth, and development.

Adaku Anike is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She works with clients aged 14 and above with various mental issues including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and schizophrenia using evidence-based practices to create an individualized mental health care plan to meet their needs and achieve a positive outcome.

Adaku cares for her clients by actively listening to their needs, offering empathy, and creating an individualized care plan tailored to their needs because every client's need is different. Her specialty is psychiatry and she offers mental health care that is evidence-based.

As a person who has suffered from depression, Adaku understands how debilitating and isolating mental health issues can be. The stigma associated with mental illness can cause one to hesitate in asking for help. She wants you to know that you can reach out to her if you have any issues.

Kristi Gannon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) currently offers tele-health sessions in Virginia specializing in offering treatment to adults and seniors who are faced with the negative effects of anxiety, depression, anger, relationship issues, ADHD, poor coping skills, gender identity issues, stress, trauma, PTSD, women’s issues, and more. 

Kristi understands that no single approach to therapy works for every individual, and therefore integrates a variety of therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral (CBT), person-centered therapies, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness techniques to help clients achieve their desired goals.

Kristi is passionate about the work she does with her clients and uses a collaborative approach to empower clients in taking control of their own recovery. She offers an empathic, non-judgmental, and safe atmosphere that promotes growth and healing.

Lydia Sharp is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practioner (PMHNP-BC) from Virginia, with 5 years of experience assisting children, adolescents, and adults with such issues as anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood disorders, anger problems, and other complex psychiatric conditions.

Lydia earned her Master's degree in Nursing Education. She previously served over 26 years in the military in a variety of patient settings such as Medical-Surgical Nursing and Perioperative Nursing (Walter Reed Army Hospital), and as a Nurse Administrator serving in Army Combat Support Hospitals located in California and Fort Bragg, and much more. She also gained direct psychiatric experience and knowledge by working in a Behavioral Health Service Community Health Clinic, which was also part of a behavioral school for troubled youths.

Lydia will prescribe and manage medications, diagnose and assess psychiatric problems, identify health goals, record symptoms and problems, provide therapeutic treatment, and educate clients and their families about mental health. Partner with Lydia to find the treatment methods that work best for you.

Elena Papathanassiou is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia who is practiced in providing therapeutic care to teens and adults seeking help with depression, anxiety, trauma, suicidality, and the LGBTQIA+ community. She strives to maintain a high level of cultural competency while working with diverse groups of people and sensitivity to the unique struggles of those with intersecting identities. She completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Pittsburgh and her Master of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Elena utilizes strengths-based and person-in-environment theories while collaborating with the client to ensure their unique needs are met. These inform her usage of solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral, and dialectical-behavioral techniques to provide evidence-based therapy that is flexible, responsive, and tailored to the individual.

Elena seeks to provide a warm, supportive therapeutic relationship with her clients that invites openness and insight to achieve your goals. Through collaboration and building on your strengths, she will assist you in developing a meaningful life in accordance with your values.

Chinyere is a board-certified Licensed Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with 12 years of experience as a psychiatric nurse and 10 years of experience as a nurse practitioner providing psychiatric evaluation, treatment, and medication management to patients with varying degrees of mental illness. She has expertise in treating adult patients, and lately adolescent patients. She treats patients with disorders such as anxiety, depression, personality disorder, ADHD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. She is professional, caring, and respectful and strives to offer personalized mental health services.

Chinyere’s approach to care is straightforward and clear. She always lends a listening ear and is empathetic to her patients. She has a BSN degree from Shenandoah University, an MSN degree from the University of Cincinnati, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Chatham University.

Chinyere’s mission is to provide every patient with the highest quality care while empowering them to live a successful, fulfilled life while staying in control of their mental health.

Jessica Lee is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 3 years of experience working with children, adults, and families who are seeking help in coping with depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, and life transitions.

Jessica earned her Master's degree in Social Work from George Mason University. Her approach is collaborative and interactive, with a trauma-informed and person-centered approach. She utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and applies a multi-modality approach, drawing upon psychodynamic, reality therapy, and solution-focused therapy techniques. 

Opening yourself up to the unknown can feel very vulnerable and scary—but Jessica knows that therapy can be a great place to find more adaptive ways of living and enjoying life. She is committed to creating a therapeutic environment for all clients and customizes her sessions to meet the needs of every unique individual.  

Patrycia Hatten is a Licensed Professional Counselor with more than 12 years of experience providing services to various populations in the mental health and substance use field. She specializes in anxiety, trauma, grief, anger management, stress management, depression, and finding ways to smooth out those big challenges in life.

Patrycia completed her Masters in Clinical Counseling with an emphasis in couples and family therapy at the University of Northern Colorado. She has worked extensively with all ages, with clients ranging from 5-70 years old. She is comfortable utilizing multiple treatment modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), person-centered therapy, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Patrycia's vast experience coupled with her innate compassion enables her to work collaboratively with her clients to help them reach their goals

We all have strengths and talents, even if they aren't immediately apparent to ourselves. Together you and Patrycia will identify and build skills through the use of feedback, processing, and empathy to help reach your personal goals. Patrycia is open-minded and has a gentle way of challenging thoughts and behaviors to allow her clients to gain insight and understanding, helping to promote progress and facilitate change. She is excited to have the opportunity to work with you!

Meghan Rise is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with almost a decade of experience. Clients working with Meghan can expect a warm, client-centered relationship developed through a foundation of acceptance, trust, and authenticity. She is LGBTQ+-affirming as well as neurodivergent-affirming and enjoys working with a variety of adult clients. She is highly experienced in medication management for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, perinatal/postpartum mental health, OCD, life transitions, trauma, and ADHD.

Meghan has focused on psychiatry since starting in healthcare, working as a psychiatric registered nurse while earning her Master’s in mental health nursing. She often uses evidence-based, complementary approaches (i.e. vitamins/supplements, nutrition, therapy, behavior recommendations) to support her client’s response to traditional medication management.

Meghan believes a trusting relationship with your provider is key to your long-term mental health, which is reflected in her strong client-retention rate. She will prioritize listening to and working collaboratively with you so that you feel empowered in your own healthcare. Schedule with Meghan today, she would be honored to be a part of your journey!