FAQ-Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. How Do I Know If I Need a Therapist or Life Coach in
Williamsburg VA?

If your monkey mind won't stop jumping from worry to worry, you might be wondering: do I need therapy or coaching?

Choose therapy if: You're dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, or past experiences affecting your present relationships.

Choose life coaching if: You're ready to set goals, navigate transitions, and move forward with accountability and strategy.

The truth: Many people benefit from both at different times. As a licensed therapist in Virginia, I help adults who are stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck in life transitions.

My approach: We'll explore what's really happening — the patterns, fears, and inner chatter keeping you stuck. Real conversation, clarity, and meaningful change.

Serving: Williamsburg, Gloucester, Newport News, York County, and all of Virginia via virtual therapy.

Ready to find out what's right for you? Schedule a free consultation. 

​

2. What are the signs you need anxiety therapy in Virginia?

You're not broken. You're human. But if your mind won't stop racing and you're exhausted, it might be
time for support.

You might benefit from anxiety therapy if:
• That restless monkey mind jumps from worry to worry
• You're replaying conversations over and over
• Spinning through what-ifs about the future
• Feeling on edge even when everything seems 'fine'
• Constant pressure to have it all figured out
• Exhausted from life's chaos

My approach: We'll explore what's really happening beneath the surface. This isn't about quick fixes.
It's about real conversation and meaningful change. Clients describe our work as calming, honest,
and practical.

​

Virtual therapy throughout Virginia including Williamsburg, Gloucester, Newport News, and
Hampton.

You don't have to keep spinning. Contact me today. 

3. What Is Life Coaching?

​

Life coaching is a professional partnership that helps you move from where you are now to where you truly want to be. It’s forward-focused, goal-driven, and rooted in uncovering your strengths. A life coach helps you identify what’s keeping you stuck, clarify your goals, and create a plan for meaningful, lasting change.

People often seek life coaching when they’re:

• Feeling overwhelmed or anxious
   

• Struggling to break old patterns
   

• Ready for a life transition
   

• Wanting more fulfillment or purpose
   

• Craving support and accountability
   

A life coach doesn’t diagnose or treat — they empower you to grow, shift perspective, and build the life you envision.

​

What Is Professional Counseling?

Great for distinction on your website & Psych Today.
Counseling is a therapeutic relationship focused on helping you heal, unpack your past if
needed, and understand patterns that impact your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. A
professional counselor helps you work through challenges, build coping skills, and move toward
emotional wellness with support and structure.

Counseling is often the right fit if you’re dealing with:
● Persistent anxiety
● Depression

● Trauma
● Grief
● Relationship wounds
● Emotional overwhelm

It’s a safe space for deep healing, self-understanding, and personal growth.

​

 4. Coaching vs. Counseling: What’s the Difference?

Counseling helps you heal.
Coaching helps you grow.

Counseling is ideal when you need support with past experiences or emotional pain.
Coaching is ideal when you’re ready to set goals, make changes, and move forward.
Both can be powerful — and many clients benefit most from a blend of education, support,
mindset work, and clear strategies. My practice integrates elements of both, always guided by
what serves you best.

​

5. What Should I Expect in Your First Session with a Williamsburg Therapist?

In our first session, we'll:
• Talk about what brought you here and where you feel stuck
• Explore patterns — the fears and inner chatter that keep showing up
• Create space to slow down and breathe
• Discuss what you actually want (not what you 'should' want)
My approach is straightforward and grounded. I listen deeply, ask good questions, and help you
see things more clearly — and yes, take action.
All sessions are virtual — from your home, office, or anywhere you feel at ease throughout Virginia.
Ready to get started? Book your free consultation. 

​

6. How Quickly Can Therapy Help My Anxiety?

Within 2-4 sessions:
• Relief from being truly heard
• Clarity about what's actually happening
• Initial tools to quiet the monkey mind

​

​

Within 6-8 sessions:
• Noticeable decrease in anxiety
• Better ability to catch spiraling thoughts
• Feeling less exhausted by daily chaos

​

Within 3-6 months:
• Significant changes in how you respond to stress
• Reconnection with what actually matters
• Feeling like yourself again — but stronger
Important: Quick fixes don't work. My approach is about meaningful change through real
conversation and clarity.
Virtual therapy throughout Virginia — start right away, no waiting rooms.
Ready to start feeling better? Contact me today. 

​

7. Marriage Counseling vs Relationship Coaching in Virginia, which is better for me? 

Choose marriage counseling if:
• Deep conflict or breach of trust
• Communication has broken down significantly
• Healing from infidelity or major hurt
• Considering separation

Choose relationship coaching if:
• Strengthening already-good communication
• Navigating life transitions together
• Want tools to prevent problems
• Ready to grow with practical strategies

My approach: We'll explore what's happening beneath the surface, look at patterns, and develop
practical tools for relating in healthier ways.

Virtual sessions for Virginia couples including Williamsburg, Gloucester, and York County.
Let's figure this out together. Schedule a consultation. 

​

8. What Is Relationship Coaching?

A relationship coach helps individuals or couples strengthen communication, increase emotional
connection, improve conflict skills, and rebuild trust or intimacy. Whether you’re dating, married,
or somewhere in between, relationship coaching gives you tools to relate in healthier, more
fulfilling ways.

Clients work with a relationship coach when they want to:

​

● Break recurring patterns
● Improve communication
● Navigate conflict with more confidence
● Deepen intimacy and connection
● Understand attachment or triggers
● Rebuild after a breach of trust

This work is solution-oriented, practical, and empowering.

​

9. What Is Career Coaching?

Career coaching helps you define your goals, understand your strengths, and navigate your
next professional step with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re changing careers, stepping
into leadership, returning to work, or exploring purpose, a career coach helps you see
possibilities you may not see alone.

Career coaching may include:

● Resume or cover letter feedback
● Interview preparation
● Identifying your personal strengths
● Planning your next steps
● Leadership development
● Professional confidence-building

It’s personalized support for creating work that feels aligned and meaningful.

​

10. Transformational Coaching: Deep Internal Work, what does it mean? 

Transformational coaching focuses on how you see yourself, not just what you do. It helps you
shift identity, mindset, and belief systems so that your outer world matches your inner potential.
It’s ideal when you want to:
● Reinvent a chapter of your life
● Release old stories
● Break lifelong patterns
● Step into confidence
● Change at the core level

This isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about becoming the version of yourself you’ve always known is
possible.

​

11. What Is Spiritual Coaching?

​

Spiritual coaching integrates personal growth with soul-level guidance. It’s not tied to any one
religion — it’s about helping you find your own sense of peace, purpose, and connection.

A spiritual coach helps you:
● Understand your intuition
● Strengthen your sense of meaning
● Build self-trust and compassion
● Feel grounded and centered
● Reconnect with your values

● Navigate spiritual or personal transitions

For many people, spiritual coaching gives clarity and comfort during life’s biggest questions.

​

12. What Is Executive Coaching?

Executive coaching supports leaders who want to grow, gain self-awareness, strengthen
communication, and elevate their performance. It’s part mindset work, part strategy, and part
accountability.
Executives typically seek coaching to:
● Gain clarity
● Improve leadership presence
● Navigate conflict
● Strengthen emotional intelligence
● Set and achieve ambitious goals
● Unlock their potential

​

This is high-level support for high-level responsibility.

​

13.  What is life transition coaching?

Life transition coaching helps individuals navigate periods of change—career shifts, retirement,
relationship changes, family transitions, or spiritual questioning—by providing clarity, support,
and practical guidance for what comes next.
Who is life transition coaching for?
Coaching is for adults at any stage of life, but it is especially helpful for individuals 60 and older
navigating retirement, identity changes, evolving family roles, grief, or questions about purpose
and meaning.

14. How is coaching different from therapy?

Therapy often focuses on healing past wounds and mental health treatment.
Life transition coaching is forward-focused, helping clients make sense of where they are now
and move intentionally into the next phase of life.
Can coaching help with retirement adjustment?
Yes. Many people are financially prepared for retirement but emotionally unprepared. Coaching
helps individuals redefine identity, routine, relationships, and purpose after leaving the
workforce.

15. Do I need to be religious to explore spiritual transitions?

No. Coaching provides a nonjudgmental space to explore faith, spirituality, beliefs, or
meaning—whatever that looks like for you.

16. What kinds of goals do clients work on?

Goals may include redefining purpose, improving relationships, exploring new career or
volunteer paths, navigating family changes, or creating structure and meaning in retirement.

17. Is coaching only for people who feel “lost”?

Not at all. Many clients feel stable but sense something is shifting. Coaching helps bring clarity
before confusion turns into frustration or isolation.

18. How long does life transition coaching last?

​

Coaching can be short-term or ongoing, depending on the individual and the transition being
navigated.