Welcome
Come As You Are
You don't have to have it all figured out.
You don't have to pretend you're okay.
You're welcome here, just as you are.
About River Rose Counseling
Understanding Myself with Compassion
Have you ever wondered why you respond to certain situations the way you do? Why you find yourself repeating patterns in relationships, struggling to set boundaries, feeling responsible for other people’s happiness, or being harder on yourself than you would ever be on someone you love?
Sometimes the answers are connected to experiences we’ve had long before we recognized their impact. We all develop ways of coping based on what we’ve experienced, particularly in our earliest relationships. We learn how to protect ourselves, how to connect with others, and sometimes how to put our own needs aside to keep the peace.
Many of those patterns made sense at the time. They may have helped us survive difficult circumstances. But what once protected us can sometimes become the very thing that keeps us from living the life we want.
I don’t believe the goal of therapy is to find what’s wrong with you. I believe it’s to help you understand yourself with greater compassion.
Therapy can be a journey of self-discovery—a chance to understand how your experiences have shaped you, recognize the ways you've learned to protect yourself, and begin meeting yourself with the compassion you may have needed all along.
The Relationship Matters
One of the most important parts of therapy is the relationship we build together. Research consistently links a strong therapeutic alliance and hopeful expectations with better outcomes, though the treatment approach and individual circumstances matter too.
My approach is warm, conversational, and collaborative. We’ll probably laugh sometimes. There may be tears. There may be moments when we sit quietly because words are hard to find. All of that is okay. I want you to feel heard, respected, and accepted—not pressured to have the perfect words.
Finding What Works For You
Therapy should be as individual as the person seeking it. I draw heavily from psychodynamic therapy and DBT-informed individual therapy, and I’m also an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist. You don’t need to know what any of those terms mean to begin, and you don’t need to choose a modality before we meet.
Sometimes we explore how earlier experiences and relationships affect the present. Other times we practice tools for managing emotions, setting boundaries, and navigating relationships. For some women, EMDR is a helpful option; others prefer a conversational approach. EMDR is never a requirement for working with me.
What matters is that we choose our work together thoughtfully, based on your needs, goals, preferences, and readiness.
How I Work
Psychodynamic Therapy: Understanding Yourself
Sometimes understanding where our feelings, beliefs, and relationship patterns come from helps us begin to change them. We can explore connections between past experiences and present life with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Changing Unhelpful Thoughts
The way we think about ourselves, our experiences, and the world around us can have a powerful influence on how we feel and respond.
CBT helps us recognize thought patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, self-criticism, and emotional distress. Together, we can learn to question beliefs that may be keeping you stuck and develop more balanced, compassionate ways of thinking.
DBT-Informed Individual Therapy: Learning New Ways to Cope
Sometimes insight alone isn’t enough. We also need practical ways to manage painful emotions, navigate relationships, set boundaries, and cope with life’s challenges. I incorporate skills and principles from Dialectical Behavior Therapy into individual sessions when helpful. This is not a comprehensive DBT program or traditional skills group.
EMDR: Processing Painful Experiences
Some experiences continue to affect us long after they’ve ended. EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that can help process distressing memories. As an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, I offer EMDR when clinically appropriate and when it is something you choose to pursue.
Contact Catherine
All Photography by Randy Leagan Photography
The beautiful landscapes featured throughout this website were captured here in the Blue Ridge Mountains by local photographer Randy Leagan. Used with permission.
email: Catherine@riverrosecounseling.com phone: 276-601-2184 406 W Oldtown St., Galax, VA 24333
Hours
Open today | 09:00 am – 04:00 pm |
