Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Alexandria VA
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the most extensively researched form of talk therapy, and it is built on a practical idea: thoughts, feelings, and behaviour feed each other, and changing one reliably changes the others.
Every clinician at our Alexandria office draws on CBT. It is structured, collaborative, time-limited, and focused on giving you skills you keep after therapy ends.
What CBT looks like in practice
CBT is more concrete than most people expect. A typical course of treatment moves through:
- Getting specific. Naming the problem in terms you can actually measure, rather than "I feel awful."
- Catching the pattern. Noticing the automatic thoughts that fire in the moment and what they set off.
- Testing it. Treating those thoughts as predictions to be checked rather than facts to be accepted.
- Changing the behaviour. Reversing the avoidance and withdrawal that keep the problem alive.
- Practising between sessions. The work outside the room is what makes it stick.
- Preventing relapse. Building a plan for what to do when symptoms return, because sometimes they will.
What we use CBT for
- Anxiety, worry, and panic
- Depression and low mood
- Anger and irritability
- Stress and burnout
- Sleep difficulties
- The beliefs left behind by trauma, through trauma-focused CBT
- Adolescent anxiety, school stress, and coping skills
Several of our clinicians also work with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), both of which grew out of the same tradition and suit different presentations.
Your therapists in Alexandria
All six Alexandria clinicians are trained in or work from a cognitive behavioral framework.
- Bhavani R. Hamann, PH.D, MSW, LCSW — trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, with a Ph.D. in Social Work. Provides therapy to adults, adolescents, and families.
- Mark A. Boothe, LICSW, LCSW — incorporates the core principles of CBT within a person-centered approach, specialising in young adults (16+) and adults dealing with depression, anxiety, and anger.
- Carole Thomas, MSW, LCSW — trained in CBT, DBT, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as trauma-informed approaches including EMDR.
- Nelva Hernandez, MSW, LCSW — employs an eclectic range of evidence-based interventions including cognitive and dialectical behavioral therapies, motivational interviewing, and humanistic approaches. Bilingual in Spanish and English.
- Malikkah Redden, M.Ed., LPC Resident — uses CBT alongside Solution-Focused Therapy and ACT to help clients build resilience and effective coping skills.
- Jaimon Jefferson, MSW, Social Work Supervisee — uses CBT, play therapy, and social skills training with children, and CBT with adults navigating anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
You can read every clinician's full background on our therapists page, or see the whole Alexandria office.
Insurance and fees
Life Enrichment Counseling Center is a participating provider with all Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and HMO plans, including Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem, and CareFirst. Cigna, Aetna, and Optum are accepted by select therapists, so coverage can depend on which clinician you see — tell us your plan when you reach out and we will match you with someone in network.
Verifying benefits is ultimately the client’s responsibility, but our office staff will check them for you as a courtesy. Without insurance, sessions are $160 per hour and we provide a superbill you can submit to your carrier yourself. Sessions run 35 to 60 minutes.
Full details are on our costs and payments page.
Visit our Alexandria office
Our Alexandria office is located at 3307 Duke St, Alexandria, VA 22314, a short drive from Old Town Alexandria, with parking on site. We also see clients from Falls Church, Springfield, Annandale, Arlington, Fairfax, and Washington, D.C.
Every clinician listed on this page also offers secure video sessions, so you can begin with telehealth and move to in-person visits later — or stay online entirely.
Phone: (703) 879-6947
Request an appointment online or send us a message and we will help you find the right therapist for what you are dealing with.
Frequently asked questions
How many CBT sessions will I need?
CBT is typically shorter-term than open-ended therapy — often somewhere between 12 and 20 weekly sessions for a focused problem such as anxiety or depression. Complex or long-standing difficulties take longer, and your therapist will review progress with you as you go.
Is there homework?
Usually, yes — and it is where much of the change happens. Between-session practice might mean tracking thoughts, testing a prediction, or trying a behaviour you have been avoiding. Your therapist will set it with you, not for you.
What does CBT actually help with?
It has the strongest evidence base for anxiety and depression, and is also used for anger, stress, insomnia, panic, and the beliefs left behind by trauma. If CBT is not the right fit for what you are dealing with, we will say so and suggest an alternative.
What is the difference between CBT and DBT?
DBT grew out of CBT and adds a strong emphasis on distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and acceptance. CBT tends to suit focused problems; DBT skills often suit people whose emotions escalate quickly and intensely. Several of our Alexandria clinicians draw on both.
Can I do CBT online?
Yes. CBT translates well to video sessions, and every clinician listed on this page offers secure telehealth alongside in-person appointments in Alexandria.
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