LGBT therapists in Colonial Heights, VA

Hello, and welcome! I'm Sakura Pate, a trauma-informed therapist dedicated to creating a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel seen, heard, and empowered. I became a social worker in 2013, supporting individuals through a wide range of life challenges across community and behavioral health settings. After earning my Master of Social Work in 2023, I expanded my practice to provide individual and couples counseling, combining years of social work experience with evidence-based, client-centered, and trauma-informed care.

I work with adults and couples experiencing a variety of emotional, relational, and life challenges. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, navigating a major life transition, struggling in your relationships, processing past experiences, or simply looking to better understand yourself, I provide a collaborative space to explore what matters most to you. My approach is tailored to each individual, recognizing that every person's experiences, strengths, and goals are unique. I also provide LGBTQIA+ affirming care and am committed to creating an inclusive environment where every client feels respected, valued, and safe to show up as their authentic self.

I believe healing happens through connection, self-awareness, and compassion. Whether you're seeking support for a specific concern, personal growth, or greater fulfillment in your relationships, I'm honored to walk alongside you as you build resilience, strengthen meaningful connections, and create lasting, positive change.

As a child growing up in New Orleans, LA, I struggled feeling seen, heard, and as if I truly belonged. I realized at a young age people (of all ages) shared with me their vulnerable, intimate and personal stories. And as I listened and held space for their concerns, these story-tellers felt a sense of relief, seemed lighter and a smile spread across their face.

I began wondering why people do what they do. This led me to gain education, strategies and tools to understand human behavior and development, learn how to effectively hold space for another, and begin supporting others with empathy; allowing them to feel seen, heard, and belong.

In the process, I chose to become a stepmom. I learned first hand how hard it is to blend a family and co-parent. If no one gives the biological parents a manual upon the birth of their child, there really is nothing for steps. This experience has given me a desire to fill this gap; helping steps, bios, and the children navigate and build a more content settled home.

Whether you are struggling with the far-reaching impact of past trauma, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other ongoing health issue or simply wanting to invest in a bit of self-exploration and growth, I am so glad that you have begun your search for the best facilitator in that journey. I believe in meeting people where they are and allowing you to set your own pace for healing. I look forward to assisting on your healing journey in any way that I can.

Challenges shouldn’t just be endured—they should be the catalyst for your breakthrough. My goal is to help you transform life's toughest hurdles into a foundation for lasting resilience and self-discovery, giving you the tools to reclaim your strength and lead a more intentional life.

I am an LPC in Virginia and LMHC-S in Florida my background in practice consists of treating adolescents, families, children in at risk populations and treating adults with depression and anxiety. I take a holistic approach to counseling and meet the client where they are at. I include CBT and solution-focused techniques in order to assist clients dealing with a variety of issues. I also have a background in TF-CBT informed therapy and utilize this as needed.

A lot of men arrive in therapy through anger, because it is often the only feeling they were ever given permission to have. If that is you, or if the anxiety has been running underneath everything for years, or if something happened to you that you have never said out loud, you are in the right place. I'm Dr. Justin D. Gravely-Strayhorn, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I earned my Master of Social Work from Campbellsville University and my Doctor of Education from Liberty University. I work with adults on anxiety, depression, trauma, anger, relationships, and the particular weight men carry when they have been taught that handling it alone is the same thing as being strong. Culture is part of that conversation, not separate from it. What shaped you, what was expected of you, and what it costs to keep performing being fine all belong in the room. My approach combines evidence-based therapy with compassion, cultural awareness, and a holistic view of wellness. I believe growth happens when we feel seen, supported, and empowered to rewrite our stories.

With 8 years of experience in the mental health field, I firmly believe in the parity of mental and physical health. Life often leads us into dark tunnels, and my role in therapy is to guide individuals toward the light at the end of those tunnels.

Making the decision to start therapy is a profound investment of your time, energy, and vulnerability. If you are looking for a blank-slate clinician who simply nods and listens, we might not be the best fit. I offer a highly engaged, malleable, and unflinching partnership.

My approach is rooted in the belief that while the work of untangling our lives is deeply structural, the room itself doesn't always have to feel heavy. I bring a grounded warmth to my practice—which means knowing how to sit quietly in the gravity of a difficult truth, but also knowing when to break the tension, exhale, and find the light in the sheer complexity of being human. I won’t just sit in silence while you do all the heavy lifting; I am an active collaborator who adapts to exactly where you are.

Are you worried that therapy will feel awkward and formal? It doesn’t have to be. As a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 10 years of experience, I have learned that people are more complicated than a diagnosis, a history, or a list of things that have gone "wrong." Therapy should be a place where you can be honest, curious, and fully yourself. You shouldn't have to worry about saying the 'right thing', or knowing exactly what you want out of the experience.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I strive to create a supportive and non-judgmental space where clients feel safe to explore their thoughts, emotions, and relationships. My approach is collaborative and focused on helping individuals, couples, and families build insight, strengthen communication, and develop practical tools for lasting change. I believe therapy works best when clients feel heard, respected, and actively involved in their growth.