About Brenda
Brenda Atkinson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 31 years of experience. She practices in Virginia and helps people facing mood disorders, anxiety, grief, trauma, and relationship difficulties. Her pathway began with studies in psychology and social work at the University of Louisville, with a focus on family systems.
Brenda holds LCSW and CSW credentials and has worked across many life stages, from early adulthood through later life. In sessions she combines practical skills with attentive listening.
How Brenda works
She uses approaches drawn from attachment work, client-centered methods, cognitive behavioral strategies, dialectical behavior ideas, and emotion-focused therapy. Conversations focus on what the person wants to change and small steps they can take between sessions. Brenda often supports people dealing with depression, bipolar concerns, addictions, stress, grief, and parenting strain.
She also addresses specific issues such as abandonment, attachment struggles, codependency, caregiver stress, and dissociation. Her practice pays attention to both emotional growth and everyday functioning. Therapy is collaborative and paced to the person.
Brenda aims to be genuine and compassionate while keeping sessions focused on useful tools and real progress. She invites people to explore values, strengthen relationships, and develop better coping for life changes.
Brenda lists 13 ways of working on the entry:
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Jungian Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
What Brenda works with
The areas below are the ones Brenda selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Parenting issues
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Registers | LCSW, CSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 31 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Virginia |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Brenda's Approaches Work Online
Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns in close relationships and how early bonds shape current trust and connection. It helps people understand relationship reactions and learn new ways to relate. Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's experience and goals; the therapist listens closely and follows what matters most to the client while offering empathy and reflection. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact and teaches practical steps to change unhelpful thinking and behavior.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Brenda will discuss goals and preferences and try methods that fit the person's needs. Sessions are collaborative, and techniques are adjusted over time so the person can see what helps most.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for in-depth conversation and reading facial cues. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging are helpful for brief check-ins, practicing new skills, or fitting therapy into a busy day. These options make it easier to get consistent support and keep progress moving forward.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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