PEOPLE START TO HEAL THE MOMENT THEY FEEL HEARD
Have a particular life obstacle you’re trying to overcome? Sometimes, seeking help from a certified expert is the best way to put things into perspective. As a committed Licensed Professional Therapist, your well-being and mental health is my number one priority. I’m happy to guide you through all of life’s challenges with the attention and care you deserve.
Therapy is a process that can help facilitate the changes desired in your life and to provide support and guidance during challenging times.
Therapy can also help to understand how past experiences influence the present behaviors. Working together, we can identify negative thought patterns to begin the healing process.
Through compassion and strength-based solutions, I help adults, teens, and young adults find growth in their lives.
You will find our work together to be a joint venture in sorting out the challenges in your life. I see psychotherapy as a collaborative, active process between two people. I focus intentionally on developing a warm and respectful working relationship with my clients.
I am confident that everyone has strengths to draw from, even when they find themselves in the midst of crisis. My work is compassionate, strength-based and I look forward to working with you to achieve a more meaningful, fulfilling, and productive life.
Services I Offer
Individual Therapy
Therapy is a process that can help facilitate the changes desired in your life and to provide support and guidance during challenging times. It can be challenging and stressful to find a therapist and share your feelings with a stranger. I am committed to helping you be comfortable and validate your feelings to make this process easier.
In my approach, I like to explore the root of the problem and help you towards personal growth and healing. My focus would be to help you make healthy decisions through a new mindset which will help restore balance and freedom in your life. I have an eclectic style and use the technique(s) most appropriate for my clients.
Therapy can also help to understand how past experiences influence the present behaviors. Working together, we can identify negative thought patterns to begin the healing process.
I look forward to working with you to achieve a more meaningful, fulfilling, and productive life.
Family Therapy
Family therapy is a way for you and your family to learn how to maintain healthy family relationships, communicate effectively with family members, and work cooperatively to solve family problems. This type of therapy is unique, in that problems are viewed through a broader lens and as part of the complex system of the family. Family therapy can help in bringing the family together after a crisis, creating honesty between family members and building trust in family members developing a supportive family environment, reducing sources of tension and stress within the family, conflict resolution for family members and bringing back family members who have been isolated
Substance Abuse Assessments and Therapy
Being a Certified Substance Abuse Therapist, I can conduct assessments which are thorough evaluations designed to definitively establish the presence or absence of a diagnosable drug abuse problem. The aim of screening is to identify the potential presence of an alcohol- or drug-related problem, while the assessment stage takes the process a step further and confirms the existence of a problem, identifies the nature of the problem(s), and suggests appropriate avenues of treatment.
Sexual Behaviors Assessment and Therapy
As a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSOTP), I offer case consultation, assessment; individual, or family treatment for youth and adults charged with sexual offenses ordered to be evaluated, and court ordered to participate in treatment. Seeking help can help develop new attitudes towards all of life’s most complex matters.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. EMDR Therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue. It is focused on changing the emotions, thoughts or beahaviors resulting from the distressing issue and allows the brain to resume it's natural healing process.
Supervision & Consultation
I am registered as an approved supervision by the Virginia Board of Counseling and provide individual and group supervision to interns and post - graduate counseling Residents working towards licensure in the state of Virginia.
I am also available to provide consultation to therapists looking for help with specific case conceptualizations or for support and information regarding working or starting up a private practice.
Shafinah Samsudin is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) specializing in individual and family therapy. She is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) and a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSOTP). She is also certified in Eye Movements Desensitization & Reprocessing. She also offeres supervision and consultations.With over 15 years of experience in behavioral health and as a graduate of Marymount University with a masters degree in counseling, she is currently serving as a private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients. Among her areas of expertise are addictions, co - occurring disorders, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, eating disorders, sexual behaviors, conduct disorders and oppositional disorders. Her primary focus is to build a therapeutic relationship and identify the client’s strengths to help facilitate his or her recovery, growth and maintenance. Shafinah's therapeutic approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. She integrates complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, she works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.
Marc Davis (he/him) is a Licensed Mental Health Professional-Supervisee in Social Work (LMHP-S), and has received board approval to provide clinical services in social work under supervision. He is a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC) and has been practicing professionally for over a decade. Marc has a bachelor’s degree in music therapy from Berklee College of Music and master’s degree in social work from George Mason University. Particular areas of interest include substance-related and addictive disorders, psychotic disorders, trauma/stress related disorders, depressive disorders, paraphilic disorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and crisis intervention/prevention.
Whatever the problem may be, you needn’t go through it alone. We each have a story to tell, as we embark on our journey of healing. When looking for a therapist, it is critical that we find someone with whom we can be our authentic selves, in an atmosphere without judgement and bias. There is great value in therapeutic rapport, and this is a safe space in which to find growth and self-actualization. Your vision of future is essential in establishing a healthy frame of mind.
Alexis Davis, MSW, is a resident clinical social worker with Seek Serenity. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from George Mason University and Bachelors Degree in Psychology, with a minor in biology from University of Maryland. With an additional background in neuroscience, she has an understanding of brain function as it relates to mental health. She also comes from a large military family and has experience working with military members and their dependents across all U.S. Military branches.
Alexis has experience in several mental health settings over the past 7 years. While her recent experience is in crisis intervention programs with intellectual/developmental disabilities and severe mental health disorders, she also has experience in other mental health areas, including substance use, case management, eating disorder facilities, mobile crisis intervention services, in-home counseling, and disaster prevention services. Her primary areas of clinical interest include military mental health, anxiety, depression, trauma, and eating disorders.
Michael Tavolacci (he/him) is a resident counselor (LPC-R). He attended Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA, and holds a Master of Arts in Counseling
degree. Before working toward a career in the mental health field,
Michael was a nursing student in New York and medical assistant at a doctor’s office specializing in men’s and women’s sexual health.
Most recently, Michael has been working with individuals in young adulthood through late adulthood struggling with a variety of issues. He takes a person-centered and strength-based approach to counseling, working with clients to explore their inner world, meeting them where they are at, and addressing their unique life challenges. He is passionate about helping individuals build, strengthen, and maintain healthy relationships as well as developing interpersonal communication skills. Other areas of interest include working with anxiety, depression, and trauma.
In his free time, he enjoys cooking, longboarding, and spending time outdoors with his dog.
Contact Me
I love helping my patients develop the tools they need to cope with all of life’s challenges. Contact me today to learn more and book a session.
(703) 552-8960
43676 Trade Center Place, Suite 135, Sterling, VA 20166