Lighting Your Way to a Healthier You
Who I Help
You’re functioning-but it’s taking everything you’ve got. Maybe you’re an adult professional or caregiver trying to keep up with constant demands while stress and past experiences are catching up with you or a student feeling overwhelmed and burned out. You don’t need more pressure, you need a way to feel more in control, focused, and steady in your day-to-day life.
I work with adults and students ages 13+ who are dealing with stress, burnout, anxiety, and the impact of difficult or traumatic experiences. Many of my clients are high-functioning and meeting expectations on the outside, but internally feel exhausted or stuck.
My approach is structure, practical , and supportive. I focus on helping you understand what’s driving your stress and burnout, while building tools you can use right away, whether that’s improving focus, managing anxiety, setting boundaries, processing past experiences that are still affecting you or managing vicarious trauma in your daily life or work.
Our Services Are Trusted By:
- Adults in high-stress/high-responsibility roles such as law enforcement, federal employees/contractors/agents, healthcare workers, military service members and their families, and Veterans
- Adults who feel burned out, stuck, or emotionally exhausted
- High-achieving professionals who appear “put together” but battle anxiety or self-doubt internally
- Adolescents and teens (11+) struggling with anxiety, emotional overwhelm, school stress, or family conflict
- Middle school, high school, and college students navigating identity, social pressures, academic demands, or trauma
- Individuals with ADHD who struggle with focus, follow-through, emotional regulation, or chronic self-criticism
- Survivors of childhood trauma, instability, or housing insecurity who are ready to heal
- Parents who want to break generational cycles and respond to their children differently than they were parented
Who I am
I’m Rebecca Ellison, LCSW. I’m a Veteran, retired military spouse, and former civil servant. My approach integrates trauma-informed therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and EMDR to help you regulate your emotions, process trauma, identify negative patterns of behavior, reduce anxiety, and build sustainable ways of responding to stress.
Therapy with me is about helping you feel more in control of how you move through your life – not just meeting expectations, but living in a way that feels meaningful and aligned with who you want to be.
Contact me today for a free consultation!
Therapy Options
Individual Therapy
I offer individual therapy for teens, young adults, and adults who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or self-critical. My work focuses on helping you understand patterns that no longer serve you, develop practical coping skills, and create meaningful, lasting change in your daily life. We will work collaboratively to help you learn to manage stress, regulate emotions, and change unhelpful thought and behavior patterns. This work helps clients build skills that lead to greater clarity, confidence, and emotional balance.
Family Therapy
In family therapy, we focus on strengthening relationships by improving communication, setting healthy boundaries, and addressing patterns that contribute to conflict or disconnection. Sessions are collaborative and focused on practical strategies families can use outside of therapy.
Trauma Therapy
I specialize in trauma therapy using EMDR and other trauma-informed approaches to support individuals who grew up in difficult households marked by attachment wounds and complex family dynamics. I also work with professionals in high-responsibility roles—such as law enforcement, military, first responders, federal workers, and healthcare providers—who experience chronic stress, vicarious trauma, or the emotional toll of being underrecognized in critical roles. My work focuses on helping clients process trauma, build nervous system resilience, and develop healthier ways of relating to themselves and others.
FAQ
Please review commonly asked questions. If you still need assistance, please feel free to reach out!
How much does therapy cost?
I offer a free 15-minute initial consultation. For private pay clients the initial intake assessment appointments are 60 minutes long and the cost is $200. Subsequent therapy sessions are typically 53 minutes, and cost $150 per session. EMDR sessions may be 60-75 minutes depending on the situation. I am credentialed with most major insurances. Contact me for a consult today and we can discuss the best option to keep therapy accessible for you.
Do you accept insurance?
I am in network with most major insurances and can also provide superbills for out-of-network services. I recommend you contact your insurance company to ensure you understand what your benefits are. Some questions you may want to ask your insurance provider if you would like to contact them to determine your benefits for out of network therapy are:
- Are there annual dollar limits, visit limits, or other coverage limits for my mental health benefits?
- Does my plan include out of network psychotherapy services?
- What is my deductible for out of network services, and has it been met?
- What is the usual or customary reimbursement rate for out of network
therapy services (CPT Codes 90834, 90837, 90846, 90847)? - Do I need pre-authorization from the insurance provider or a referral
from my primary care doctor in order to see a therapist?
This is my first time in therapy. What happens next?
Great question! The first step is to request a free consultation call by completing the form in the Contact Me section of this website. I will email you to schedule your initial consult call as soon as I receive your request. In that call I will share more about how I work with clients, learn about what brings you to therapy, and answer any questions you may have. We will use that call to see if working together may be a good fit and schedule your first session. If, for any reason, you feel it isn’t a good fit I am happy to share referrals to other clinicians who may be a good match.
How often do we meet for therapy?
I meet with clients on a weekly basis for the most part. Under certain circumstances I will meet with clients every other week. Most clients have a standing appointment on the same day and time each week. In our first few sessions, we will work together to determine goals for your therapy and map out how we will work to help you reach your goals. We will revisit your goals periodically as a team.
How long can I expect to be in therapy?
The length of therapy depends on you and what you’re looking to achieve. Some clients start feeling better after just a few sessions, while others find that they benefit from long-term therapy to help them navigate life’s ups and downs. When we meet, I’ll chat with you about how long I think it might take to meet your goals and will check in with you along the way to make sure you’re getting what you need. So, no pressure—just go at your own pace!
Do you offer in-person sessions?
I offer telehealth sessions at this time for people across the state of Virginia. I use a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform.