Emdr
Tabitha Woodson
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, MA
I can say that one of my greatest accomplishments was my 16 years of service to the United States of America. After being discharged from the United States Navy due to a service related condition, I thought long and hard about the next chapter in my life. I have always had the ability to engage in meaningful conversations with others. I enjoyed helping people figure things out.
The hope that I held for others influenced my decision to pursue an MA in Professional Counseling at Liberty University. I have over 10 years of working in community mental health. I have enjoyed working with a diverse population of people to include children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral challenges, along with adults that have serious mental illness and substance abuse problems. I provide individual and group therapy for children, adolescents, and adults.
I do believe that some of the suffering experienced in life oftentimes results from faulty thinking which eventually leads to unwanted emotions and behaviors.
As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I provide a safe, warm and welcoming atmosphere that allows for self exploration, discovery and healing
of the mind and heart. I truly believe that the power to heal the heart, mind and soul lies within you.
As a trauma informed therapist, I use a variety of treatment approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, EMDR and Brief Therapy.
I believe the decision to engage in counseling is courageous, empowering and life changing.
As we work together, my hope for you is that you will regain control over your emotions, you will be able to examine and manage your anxious thoughts and begin to act in a way that promotes peace and harmony within yourself and with others. Some additional work may involve forgiveness of self and others, restorative practices and self acceptance.
You will learn to live a fulfilling life. You will learn to be alive in life instead of merely going through the motions.
I am trained in evidenced based interventions such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Dialectial Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and use these in my work when appropriate. My main focus is in DBT, an approach that can increase mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. I am also certified in EMDR, a proven trauma treatment that can help build a sense of safety, identify and change beliefs that are harmful, and to become less stuck in past pain.
Amy Kennel
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, MS
I joined Lifeworks Professional Counseling in May 2019 to help and support people going through a variety of problems. Since 2005, I have worked in community mental health settings where I did individual and group counseling, and conducted intake assessments. I received a BA in Art Therapy from Arcadia University in Glenside, PA. I received my MS in Mental Health Counseling from Longwood University in Farmville, VA, with honors from the Counseling and Education departments. I was also a member of the Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society for Counselor Educators.
The foundation to transformation and healing in therapy relies on mutual trust and respect. My past work experience with people in crisis honed my skills in holding space for difficult experiences and painful emotions. I provide encouragement, empathy, understanding, attention and acceptance, and give honest and caring feedback.
Through our work together, you can expect to establish goals and work
meaningfully towards achieving them. Our work may also include challenging
unhelpful thoughts, building and increasing a sense of safety, finding meaning
and purpose, improving your communication and connection with others,
recognizing unhealthy patterns, fostering hope and nourishing change, practicing
new skills, and adopting new habits. You may also notice an improvement in
understanding yourself and expressing your feelings, managing emotions, problem solving, and an increased sense of resilience.
Crystal Myers
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, EdS
As a non-traditional student, I received a BS in Psychology from Bridgewater College, a small liberal arts college in Virginia. My dedication to my studies and my passion to learn the science and biology of psychology was recognized by my professors who awarded me the Donald R. Witters, PhD, Psychology Department Outstanding Academic Achievement Award.
I earned a Masters in Community Counseling and EdS from James Madison University. While there, I was awarded the Graduate Psychology Teaching Assistant Award.
I use an integrative approach to working with clients struggling with a wide range of symptoms that impact their relationship with themselves, the people they care about, and affects and interrupts their ability to engage in life in ways that they would like.
I primarily use a client centered approach that includes strength-based, attachment focused, and emotionally supportive and empathetic interventions to help clients co-create and achieve the safety needed to explore upsetting experiences and work on shifting long standing patterns to new ways of experiencing and responding.
I’m trained in and use Trauma Focused CBT and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I’m exclusively taking new clients for Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy.
I deliver KAP in my practice in partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical, which has a specialized medical team that determines eligibility for KAP, prescribes the ketamine, and supports us in monitoring outcomes. If you would like to explore the possibility of working with me on KAP, please e-mail us at to discuss eligibility and next steps. Lean more here.
As a Journey Clinical KAP Provider, I offer a therapeutic modality called Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)—the use of ketamine as a complement to psychotherapy.
Kate Scales
Licensed PRofessional Counselor, LPC, EdS
I graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in Drama in 2001. After earning my EdS in School Counseling in 2007, I stepped back from the workforce in order to spend time with my young children. During my time off, I continued to prioritize service to the community through volunteer work with the Shelter For Help in Emergency, ReadyKids and the Adult Learning Center.
I have spent the past four years working as a Therapeutic Day Treatment Specialist with Region Ten CSB striving to be rigorous about collaborating with parents and other providers in the community and about creating spaces of safety where children can feel supported in expressing their feelings.
My time working with children inspired me to become a Licensed Professional Counselor with the goal of becoming a community counselor. When working with clients, I incorporate motivational interviewing, interpersonal process, play and expressive therapies and brief interventions to empower clients to meet their life goals.