Discover how starting dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
2 therapists available in Norfolk
I believe healing happens through genuine connection, and I strive to create a warm, compassionate space where clients feel truly ...
About
I believe healing happens through genuine connection, and I strive to create a warm, compassionate space where clients feel truly seen, supported, and empowered to grow.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m Sue Ann McCray, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s degree from Boston University. I graduated in 2017, and I have 8+ years of experience supporting adolescents, teens, and adults facing trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, stress, relationship challenges, and life transitions. I also work with those in early recovery from substance use. I provide individual therapy, creating a collaborative, reflective space to build insight, resilience, coping skills, and personal growth.
My approach is client-centered, trauma-informed, and grounded in compassion, acceptance, and respect. I use evidence-based methods tailored to each individual’s needs, to help clients feel seen, heard, and empowered to pursue meaningful, lasting growth.
My care style is warm and collaborative. I create a safe, supportive space where you can feel heard and understood as we work toward meaningful change. Together, we’ll build coping skills, resilience, and self-awareness at a pace that feels right for you. You don’t have to face life’s challenges alone—I’m here to support you every step of the way.
Education and training
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As a therapist, I feel very fortunate to work in a field where I am helping and supporting others as they work on their personal g...
As a therapist, I feel very fortunate to work in a field where I am helping and supporting others as they work on their personal goals.
Sarah Stovall is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with over 15 years of broad experience in the mental health field. She is dedicated and compassionate about helping others grow, develop healthy relationships, and strengthen their overall emotional well-being. Sarah works with children, adolescents, adults, and families to address their personal challenges. She specializes in depression, anxiety, trauma-related issues, PTSD, relationship issues, parenting, and adjustment to recent life changes.
Sarah completed her Master's degree in Psychology at Phillips Graduate Institute in Encino, CA. She has since used her skills and knowledge with all types of clients, where she has observed positive growth and change in others who have overcome many challenges. Sarah utilizes multiple treatment modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), solutions-focused therapy (SFT), family systems (FST), parent-child relations, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), and rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT).
Sarah has a great understanding of many different challenges and life experiences that come to each and every one of us. She also has the tools and techniques to offer supportive change. Sarah has the genuineness, open mind, and willingness to work together with you to support whatever challenges you might be facing. She looks forward to you scheduling your first session.
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 utilize DBT techniques is to follow the DBT manual and focus on coping in all four areas. I start with mindfulness, then focus on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and lastly interpersonal effectiveness. I utilize tools from this modality for patients who are struggling with impulsivity, emotional regulation, and unhelpful action and behavior patterns.
I teach emotional regulation, distress tolerance techniques, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.
I know a client is making meaningful progress in DBT when clients are engaged and interacting in therapy, utilize the coping skills learned weekly, and discuss and explore how skills learned in DBT have created a higher level of functioning. Clients may also express increased positive mood shifts through client self-reports, assessments, and clinician observations.
Each week, clients will have specific activities and assignments to complete between sessions to practice skills learned and evaluate how effective the skills have been between sessions.
To prepare for the first DBT session, an individual can make a list of things they would like to work on in therapy. It is also helpful to write down any questions you may have in regard to therapy and DBT in general.
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 Norfolk, 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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