Bipolar disorder therapists & psychiatrists in Charlottesville, VA

For more than twenty years, I have had the privilege of walking alongside adolescents, adults, and couples during some of the most difficult and meaningful seasons of their lives. I believe that sometimes it can be difficult to see beyond the darkness in front of us. My role is to listen without judgement while helping you find your way toward the light again.

Hi there! Thank you so much for taking time to view my profile. I am a licensed clinical social worker based in Virginia with 10 years of professional work experience. I have specific formal training in trauma-based modalities such as EMDR, TIR (Trauma Incident Reduction) and extensive experience working with individuals in recovery from substance use/addiction as well as those experiencing first episode psychosis and thought disorders.

Dr. Rivera employs an integrative style that focuses on the individual's sleep, diet, physical and mental fitness. He enjoys working in particular with weight loss, men's wellness, de-prescription from psychotropic medications, and detox from long-term substance use: tobacco, alcohol, opioids, and benzodiazepines. Furthermore, he specializes in the diagnosis and management of attention, mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 23 years of clinical experience and an approved supervisor to counseling residents. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Mental Health Psychology in 2002 and a Master’s degree in Community/Clinical Psychology from Norfolk State University in 2005. Before going into private practice, I spent several years working in community services supporting client mental health journeys. I currently work with adults, families, and adolescents. My specialty includes treating culturally diverse patients, depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions/adjustment, sexual abuse, anger management, and serious mental illness.

In supporting a new client, we will begin at the client's point of readiness. We will address the client's mental health needs/symptoms with CBT, mindfulness certifications/other required clinical skills.

With over a decade of experience, I am dedicated to helping adults find peace, clarity, and emotional balance. I take a holistic, person-centered approach, combining clinical expertise with genuine compassion to support my clients' journey to restoration. I have extensive experience in mental health, correctional healthcare, and community psychiatry.

When your health changes, your whole life can change.

Maybe you don’t feel like yourself anymore.

You may be living with a chronic illness, unpredictable symptoms, pain, fatigue, or a condition that other people can’t see. You may still be working, caring for your family, and doing everything you’re expected to do—but you’re exhausted from trying to keep up with a life that no longer fits your body.

Perhaps you’re grieving the person you used to be, struggling with anxiety about the future, feeling guilty when you need to rest or say no, or wondering how to maintain your relationships while your needs are changing.

You don’t have to choose between accepting your new reality and still wanting a meaningful life.

Therapy can help you:

• Adjust to changes in your health and abilities.
• Grieve the life, roles, or identity you may have lost.
• Manage anxiety about symptoms and the future.
• Develop a healthier relationship with limitations, rest, and self-care.
• Navigate changes in work, family, friendships, and relationships.
• Reconnect with who you are beyond your diagnosis.
• Find meaning and purpose when life looks different than you expected.

You are more than your diagnosis.

Together, we can work toward a life that feels meaningful—not necessarily the life you originally planned, but one that fits who you are now.

Si estás cargando algo que se siente demasiado pesado para seguir llevando solo, o simplemente buscas un espacio donde puedas hablar con honestidad sin ser juzgado, puedo ayudarte. Mi camino hacia la terapia nació de una profunda curiosidad por la resiliencia humana y del deseo genuino de acompañar a las personas en sus momentos más difíciles. Durante mi formación de posgrado trabajé con sobrevivientes de trauma, una experiencia que me mostró el poder transformador de la terapia y que fortaleció mi compromiso de caminar junto a otros en sus procesos de sanación. Soy LMHC con mas de 20 años ofreciendo terapia.

My goal is to help you build resiliency and support your positive change and growth. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Virginia Board of Social Work approved social work supervisor specializing in mental health crisis management, trauma processing, management of depression and anxiety, and navigating new psychiatric diagnoses.

Seeking help is a sign of strength, and working with the right therapist for you can be an extremely rewarding and positive experience. Feel free to contact me for a free 15 minute consultation. I am a person-centered therapist providing a safe, non-judgmental space with an empowering approach for clients to cultivate autonomy and reach their full potential. I offer unconditional positive regard, help identify unseen barriers, and explore core values with congruence.

Although I have a wide range of professional experience ranging from maternal/family health and parenting, to grief and trauma, my focus usually gravitates towards trauma, as it tends to be an underlying unaddressed symptom behind many different presentations. I believe everyone will be, at some point in their life, in need of help and because of this, everyone is thus also deserving of it. Unbiased, without judgement or fear of retaliation or criticism- just the ability to let go in a safe, trusting space. With my practice, you set the course- and I will provide the tools and support to get us there.

I work with individuals who are navigating stress, self-doubt, perfectionism, relationship difficulties, and past experiences that continue to impact the present. I work with motivated individuals who are balancing a lot and want to feel more grounded and fulfilled.

My name is Rachel, and I am a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. I received my associates degree in nursing from Blue Ridge Community College, and I received my bachelors and masters degrees in nursing from James Madison University. I received a post graduate certificate in psych mental health from Shenandoah University, and I am currently enrolled in classes to obtain my doctor of nursing practice degree from James Madison University. I have worked as a registered nurse in state psychiatric facilities since 2018, and I became a nurse practitioner in 2025.

I am Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a Masters degree in Clinical Counseling and a Bachelors in Psychology and Criminal Justice. I am a Virginia CIT instructor and a clinician vetted through VALEAP. My experience includes post critical incident debriefs and peer support.

My clinical background includes working in emergency behavioral health settings, where I help individuals stabilize during some of life’s most challenging moments.

I have a particular passion for working with individuals impacted by critical incidents, acute stress, adjustment to change, and those navigating anxiety, depression, and overwhelming life stress.