Find a therapist, counselor or psychologist in Arlington, VA

"As a person-centered therapist, I believe that the client is the expert in their lives and the therapeutic relationship is important in therapy."

Startasha Dillard is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia and the District of Columbia. She has 16 years of experience in the behavioral health field. She has worked with individuals with both mental health and substance use disorders. She has worked with adults seeking help with addiction, anxiety, stress, depression, trauma, anger, and relationship issues. She creates a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to share, and she always maintains an open ear, flexibility, and awareness necessary to meet the unique needs of the individual.

Startasha has completed her Doctor of Education in Counselor Education and Supervision, and her Master of Art in Community Counseling from Argosy University. She utilizes collaborative, supportive, person-centered, strength-based, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused approaches to therapy.

Startasha seeks to provide a supportive space to assist you in navigating personal challenges and life transitions. Through collaborating and increasing your self-understanding, therapeutic work can assist you in reaching your goals and learning skills to prevent future distress.

"I believe the relationship between therapist and client is the key to progress, and I will be with you every step of the way as you work toward your goals."

Michelle Swanson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of experience. She works with adults to address issues including bipolar disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and personality disorders. She also assists with concerns such as grief and loss, relationship issues, chronic illness, and peripartum anxiety and depression. Michelle has spent time in community mental health, inpatient psychiatry, crisis intervention, disaster response, and medical social work. She has additional expertise working with veterans, seniors, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Michelle has a Master's in Social Work from the State University of New York at Albany. She is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, motivational interviewing, solution-focused brief therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, and somatic experiencing. She tailors care to each client's needs.

Michelle is passionate about assisting clients in achieving growth and wellness. She will partner with you to build a therapeutic alliance and support you as you work toward your unique goals. Schedule an appointment with Michelle today!

"First as an Occupational Therapist and then as a Licensed Professional Counselor, I have had the privilege to walk alongside clients and guide them through the process of creating the life they want. I am looking forward to walking this path with you."

Leslie Weber is a Licenced Professional Counselor (LPC) who has 20 years of experience in the mental health field. Leslie has always been a therapist but she hasn’t always been a counselor. Her career began as an Occupational Therapist working in a plethora of settings with clients young and old: in schools, hospitals, geriatric care centers, and lastly in a forensic mental health facility. Leslie learned so much from all her clients and mental health was involved in every interaction. It was at the core of every successful outcome. Once Leslie realized this, she transitioned her career from therapist to counselor. It was challenging work and she became adept at sorting through complex and challenging situations in order to help clients make meaningful change in their lives.

Leslie completed her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Occupational Therapy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She completed her Master of Science (MS) in Professional Counseling at Concordia University Wisconsin. Blending Leslie’s background in physical health with aspects of mental health has allowed her to take a comprehensive approach to making meaningful change and achieving noticeable outcomes for clients. At the same time, Leslie’s personal roles as a spouse, a mother, and a daughter to aging parents provided personal experiences which added to her practice. She navigated through postpartum depression, the loss of child through miscarriage, advocating for a child with special needs in the school system, and the unique family dynamics of a child with special needs and one without. Leslie also experienced the loss of her parents and what it was like to be on the other side of the medical system (as a patient and family member). These experiences helped her grow into a more compassionate counselor.

Leslie is a problem-solver. She loves puzzles and games: logic puzzles, block puzzles, solitaire, even crossword puzzles in which she has to look up answers. She loves figuring it out. Leslie is great at taking the mess of pieces and figuring out where everything goes so that it makes sense. The same is true as a counselor. Leslie is great at looking at a person's whole story, gathering all the information, sorting through it, and putting the pieces together in a way that makes sense. She’s a great listener. That's how she gathers information. Leslie is good at asking the right questions. That's how she figures out what is important. She’s great at helping people figure out their own solutions. Every puzzle is different and often there is more than one solution. You and Leslie can figure it out together.

Have you found yourself caught in a way of functioning that you know isn't working for you but you just can't seem to get out of it? How you function in the world is based on beliefs that originated from your experiences. As a child, you watched and learned how the world worked, how other people operated, and where you fit in. You developed ideas called core beliefs based on what you saw. These core beliefs are how you navigated through life and they are still operating today. The problem is that the world is a different place now and the same core beliefs that worked then, won't always work now. The result is you get stuck in a way of functioning that isn't working. Let Leslie help you figure out why it is so difficult to make changes even when you know you should. Together you and Leslie can figure out what your core beliefs are and how they might be getting in your way. It can be easy to get lost in your own story. Let Leslie help you sort through your story, key in on what the heart of the problem is, and help you figure out what to do.