Couples therapists in Alexandria, VA

You’ve spent a lifetime caring for everyone else. My job is to help you finally exhale.

I’m Melissa Lou Koerner, LCSW — a therapist with 20+ years of experience helping people navigate the messy, meaningful, and often hilarious business of being human. I’m a generalist at heart, which means you don’t have to fit into a diagnostic box to work with me. If it’s part of your story, it’s welcome in the room.

Over the years I’ve supported adults, couples, families, caregivers, Veterans, adoptive families, and folks moving through grief, trauma, identity shifts, and major life transitions. From school hallways to hospice rooms to VA clinics to private practice, I’ve learned one thing over and over: people are far more resilient than they realize.

My style is warm, grounded, and practical. I blend trauma‐informed care, attachment work, and evidence‐based approaches with a healthy dose of humor — because sometimes the only way through a hard moment is to laugh at how absurd life can be.

And while I’m a true generalist, I’ll admit my favorite work these days is helping adults untangle enmeshment, estrangement, and parentification. There’s something powerful about watching people reclaim space in their own lives after years of carrying roles that were never theirs to begin with.

If you’re looking for a therapist who can help you untangle what’s heavy, honor what’s hopeful, and

Hi. My name is Monique Branch, a licensed therapist that provides a safe, supportive space where you can feel heard, understood and encouraged as you navigate life's challenges. Whether dealing with stress, relationship concerns, personal growth, or difficult seasons in life, my goal is to help you build healthier connections with yourself and others. I believe in meeting you where you are, offering compassion without judgement, and working together to create a meaningful change. To me, you are more than a client, you're a person whose story matters.

Hello, thank you for making your mental health a priority! I look forward to working with you on your journey to healing, self-preservation and empowerment. Together we can!

I’m a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Emory University. I bring over 8 years of clinical experience, including 4 years in medical nursing and 4 years in mental health care across inpatient, emergency, and outpatient settings.I also served as a nurse in the U.S. military, where I cared for active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. This experience shaped a steady, grounded approach to care, especially in moments of stress, transition, or uncertainty.

Living between cultures, expectations, or identities can create quiet pressures many people carry alone. Adults often reach out when grief, relationship strain, identity questions, or emotional overwhelm begin affecting daily life. I work with individuals navigating immigration experiences, cultural identity, family expectations, loss, and major life transitions. Therapy offers a space to slow down, make sense of what you’ve been carrying, and reconnect with your values so life feels more grounded, authentic, and emotionally balanced.

I have worked as a therapist since 1993. I have not only provided therapy but, for many years, I supervised therapists as well. I’ve had the unique opportunity to work with clients with a wide variety of disorders and problems, and from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Assisting all people to discover their maximum potential and overcome barriers to their emotional, psychological and spiritual well being is my life's work. My approach is informed by a non-judgmental challenge to self and the environment that in unlocking potential no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, or economic background.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with extensive experience providing evidence-based mental health services to adolescents, adults, couples, families, and elite athletes. Help athletes in their mental skills and performance.

My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and goal-oriented, helping clients develop practical strategies to overcome challenges while building resilience and lasting emotional well-being.

I earned my Master of Social Work degree from the University of Puerto Rico and have worked across outpatient mental health, crisis intervention, community behavioral health, and professional sports. I currently serve as a Mental Health Team Counselor with the Baltimore Orioles organization, where I support professional athletes in managing stress, anxiety, performance demands, life transitions, and overall psychological wellness.

My clinical experience includes treating anxiety, depression, trauma, adjustment disorders, relationship concerns, grief and loss, stress management, self-esteem, and life transitions. I integrate evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution-Focused Therapy, and strengths-based interventions, tailoring treatment to each client’s unique goals and needs.

I believe that meaningful change begins with a trusting therapeutic relationship. My goal is to provide a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard, empowered, and equipped with the tools they need to thrive both personally and professionally.