Discover how starting dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
4 therapists available in Alexandria
With over 30 years of counseling experience, I look forward to assisting you in working through your issues to achieve positive ou...
About
With over 30 years of counseling experience, I look forward to assisting you in working through your issues to achieve positive outcomes.
Mary Alice Fields is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has 30 years of experience counseling couples, families, and individuals. Mary Alice completed her Master of Education (MEd) at Lindsey Wilson College.
Mary Alice believes most people do the best they can with the knowledge and experience they possess. At times in our lives, our knowledge and experience are not enough to solve problems and live our most productive life. At times like this, collaboration with a licensed professional counselor can help us discover ways to solve issues and achieve our full potential. Changing our perception of issues can be most helpful. By adjusting our thought process, we can begin to see our problems in a new light, and discover solutions to seemingly insurmountable issues.
Again, collaboration with a counselor can assist in this process. Old thought patterns can be replaced with new, healthier thought patterns that help us live our best life. The most important thing necessary to get you on your way to a more productive life is an open mind and a willingness to change. As a counselor, Mary Alice is your partner in ushering in this change. She cannot solve your problems, but she can and will assist you in learning new ways to achieve your goals.
Education and training
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As a woman of color, I understand the complexities of culture and mental health issues....
As a woman of color, I understand the complexities of culture and mental health issues.
Beatriz Morales is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has clinical practice treating adolescents, families, and children with mood disorders, ADHD, and trauma, as well as treating adults with depression and anxiety. Beatriz completed her Master of Mental Health Counseling at Nova Southeastern University. She immigrated to the United States at a young age, giving her ample experience navigating the stressors and joys of moving to a new country. This, coupled with her professional experience, enables her to provide the guidance and support her clients are seeking.
Beatriz integrates multiple treatment approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focused techniques. Beatriz takes a holistic approach to counseling and meets the client where they are at. She includes CBT, solution-focused techniques, and TF-CBT when needed in order to assist clients dealing with a variety of issues.
We all face challenges in life. Beatriz is confident that she will be able to support you on your journey to gain insight, find new perspective, and build on the strengths you possess that will enhance your coping skills for any challenges that you may be facing. If you are ready to improve your quality of life, schedule an appointment today.
I have a strong ability to build trust and connect with individuals very quickly and meaningfully. I believe healthy, caring conne...
I have a strong ability to build trust and connect with individuals very quickly and meaningfully. I believe healthy, caring connections with others are life-giving.
I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with 3 years of experience supporting clients as they navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and emotional overwhelm. I work with adults seeking relief from painful thoughts, patterns, and experiences that feel difficult to manage alone. I help clients explore the roots of their emotions, develop healthy coping skills, and create more balanced ways of responding to life’s challenges. My goal is to provide a grounded, compassionate space where you can better understand your emotions, build confidence, and move toward meaningful change.
I earned my master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Capella University. My work draws from cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, mindfulness-based strategies, and strengths-focused approaches.
You deserve a space where you feel heard, understood, and supported as you work toward relief and clarity. In our sessions, we will move at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you while focusing on growth and emotional wellness. If you feel ready to take the next step, I would be honored to walk with you on this journey.
There is hope in every situation and when there is no open door you can always find a window....
There is hope in every situation and when there is no open door you can always find a window.
Letizia Fariss is a Resident in Counseling with 10 years of experience in nursing. Letizia has a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University. Through nursing, she has cared for people with mental health issues including PTSD, addictions, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and palliative and hospice care. Letizia has lived in and traveled to many European and Middle Eastern countries, which means that she’s seen a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities. As a result, she knows that everyone has varying beliefs and values and appreciates that uniqueness.
Letizia is also the wife of an Army veteran and everyone in her family has served or is still serving on active duty. As a result, she is very skilled at handling stressful situations, especially trauma and PTSD. Her personal experiences, coupled with her professional training in trauma, enable her to provide the needed support to her clients.
Letizia has endured many unique and difficult hardships that have equipped her to show profound compassion to her clients and empower them to overcome the challenges of life.
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
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My go-to approach for helping people in dialectical behavior therapy is helping them understand that there are various stressors that impact everyone. I prefer and enjoy the benefit of seeing clients embrace their stressors and understand what is in and out of their control.
Tools used in dialectical behavior therapy are grounding techniques, the here-and-now (learning how to be present), and distress tolerance.
The client's own verification, a parent's confirmation of the child's behavior, and/or my own observation help me identify meaningful progress from the client.
To supplement DBT, clients can be open to change, deciding whether they want to move on or move forward in life and if they are ready to do so through DBT treatment.
In preparing to start DBT, one should come to therapy with questions, nervousness, and all of their feelings and be open to sharing without judgment, understanding that change and therapy take time.
At Thriveworks, Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) primarily concentrates on assisting individuals in emotion regulation, enhancing interpersonal relationships, and acquiring effective coping strategies for managing stress and emotional difficulties.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) targets your personal challenges. You may work with your DBT therapist to maintain diary cards to monitor progress, emphasizing validation and support in the therapeutic relationship. DBT follows a stage-based approach, prioritizing crisis reduction initially and life satisfaction.
DBT was initially developed to address the needs of individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, its versatile approach has enabled its application to a wide range of mental health conditions, including but not limited to, anxiety, depression, stress, and anger issues.
The 4 pillars of DBT are mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) have distinct purposes and aren’t inherently superior or inferior to one another. DBT is most effective for managing emotional regulation, personality disorders, and interpersonal challenges, while EMDR is specifically tailored for individuals with trauma-related conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) with therapists at Thriveworks in Alexandria, VA is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
The duration of a standard DBT program is typically around 24 weeks, which is roughly six months. The actual number of sessions will vary depending on the issues you wish to address.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
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