Prenatal and postpartum therapists & psychiatrists in Chesapeake, VA

As a mental health therapist, I practice in Virginia, New York, Florida, and North Carolina, specializing in grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, addiction, anger management, and stress associated with life transitions.

Life asks all of us to carry difficult things. I believe healing isn't measured by the absence of hardship but by our growing ability to carry it. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with a PhD in Mental Health Counseling, I specialize in helping individuals and couples navigate chronic illness, evolving medical needs, the relational impact of major medical challenges, and all of the other parts of life because no one lives just to be a patient. I come to this specialty with both years of experience as a therapist supporting specific illnesses like cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and cancer as well as lifelong experience as a sibling to a brother with chronic illness. My role is to help you better understand what you're carrying, strengthen what helps sustain you, and build a life that feels meaningful even when life doesn't become easier. If you are navigating illness, its impact on your relationships, or simply a life that feels

heavier than it should, I would be glad to hear your story and to help you carry it.

Dr. Ahlers treats adults and adolescents with a wide range of psychiatric conditions including Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Personality Disorders, ADHD, and Psychotic Disorders. Dr. Ahlers is able to provide pharmacological management and/or psychotherapy services, depending on an individual's needs.

You deserve to feel heard, understood, and supported. As a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over 15 years of experience in a variety of healthcare settings and roles, I provide compassionate, collaborative, and individualized care tailored to your unique needs. I specialize in treating adolescents and adults experiencing ADHD, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and related concerns. By combining active listening with evidence-based treatment, I strive to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where you feel empowered and actively involved in your care. Together, we will develop a personalized treatment plan designed to help you navigate life's challenges, build on your strengths, improve daily functioning, and reach your fullest potential

I practice affirming, allied, feminist therapy rooted in empowerment and strengths perspectives. I acknowledge that late-stage capitalism is an implicit factor in functioning. I believe sleep, calories, and movement form the foundation for coping.

I have been leveling up my approach to psychotherapy for the span of my career, most recently completing training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). This is now the primary approach of my practice. My career began nearly 15 years ago with victim advocacy, working with survivors of sexual violence, first as a volunteer then graduating to counselor as my education progressed. I also gained a great deal of experience in crisis response and substance use treatment from working in residential/inpatient facilities with adolescents and adults. A great deal of my clinical experience has been in practice of Dialectical Behavior and Cognitive Behavior Therapies, which continue to be solid supports for my work in EMDR with clients.

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.