Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Virginia covered by Aetna

Hello, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia. I have over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. I have experience supporting individuals and families through difficulties due to separation, grief, loss, depression, anxiety, and relationship challenges. I have extensive experience working with individuals of all ages who experienced abuse and/or neglect during childhood.

I have over 10 years of experience as a social worker assisting those with chronic mental health struggles. I specialize in anxiety, OCD & phobias, mood disorders and general work with adults experiencing challenging life stressors, change or loss. No matter what life stage you are in, therapy can help you cope and learn to thrive.

As the founder of ArborLight Health & Wellness, PLLC, I provide virtual psychiatric evaluations and medication management for adults throughout Virginia experiencing anxiety, depression, insomnia, mood concerns, and women's mental health concerns.

I am a doctoral-prepared, dual-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) with more than 26 years of healthcare experience. I bring both psychiatric and medical insight to treatment.

This background is especially valuable when mental health symptoms overlap with sleep concerns, medical conditions, stress, or hormonal changes such as perimenopause. My approach is direct, thoughtful, and evidence-based, with treatment tailored to your symptoms, health history, and individual needs.

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.

I'm April — a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked alongside people in some of the hardest chapters of their lives: crisis moments in emergency settings, school hallways with overwhelmed teenagers, and outpatient rooms where families were trying to figure out how to be in the same room again. That range of experience has shaped how I work. I know that anxiety looks different in a 15-year-old than it does in a 40-year-old. I know that couples who love each other can still feel like strangers. And I know that healing isn't linear — it takes time, trust, and the right support.

I specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship and marital concerns, family conflict, parenting challenges, life transitions, and emotional regulation. I work with children, teens, adults, couples, and families. For clients who want it, I also offer faith-integrated counseling that weaves Christian beliefs and values into the therapeutic process — thoughtfully, ethically, and at your pace.

Welcome! Since space is limited, let's hit the ground running! I have been a counselor since 2003 and am licensed in Virginia, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Prior to this, I worked as a respiratory therapist, so I am familiar with the stress medical personal face, as well as issues related to trauma, death and dying. In particular, I enjoy working with those who are struggling with existential questions or have suffered moral injury.

You’re the one who holds it all together. On paper it’s working — the career, the relationships, the discipline. Underneath, you’re anxious, tired, and disconnected. Intellect, stamina, perfectionism and people-pleasing may have gotten you far — but now its part of a pattern that keeps you stuck.

I see driven, self-aware adults who are often the most capable person in the room despite (and because of) their bodies holding patterns of high-functioning anxiety, trauma, and depression.

The pattern lives within your nervous system — so this work includes the mind, body, and environment. Yes, we will explore your patterns & why they exist, AND we’ll notice them in your body, in real time. Coherence, parts work, Brainspotting, ART, EFT- different tools, one principle: change consolidates through experience, not just explanation.

.

I am Dr. Darlene Anderson, A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Virginia, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in the state of North Carolina, a Nationally Recognized Board Certified Counselor (NCC), and an approved Supervisor for Virginia Board of Counselor residents. I have worked with clients through various issues and concerns, which includes depression, anxiety, substance issues, low self esteem, relationship issues, family conflict, codependency issues, trauma, stress, grief and loss, and life transitions.

I have 30 years of experience working with young adults, individuals, couples, and families in various settings such as community mental health facilities, home, schools, hospitals, detention centers, and private practice. I graduated with my bachelors degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, my masters degree in Counseling from the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, DC, and my doctorate degree in Social Work from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.

As a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s degree from The National Catholic School of Social Services, I bring extensive experience from my work in university-based teaching hospitals and ambulatory care clinics. My practice focuses on supporting adults and their caregivers through challenges such as anxiety, depression, complex medical conditions (acute and chronic), medical trauma, loss, grief, and significant life transitions.

I have a specialization in guiding individuals and their caregivers through the cancer journey, encompassing every phase—from diagnosis and treatment to recovery, survivorship, and end-of-life care. I have also worked extensively with patients undergoing stem cell transplants, CAR-T and immunotherapy.

My training and experience also includes helping individuals manage disorders of the brain-gut interaction. Support, education and strategies address the connection between the mind and gastrointestinal health. Recognizing that everyday stressors can greatly affect your well-being, I adapt my clinical approach to suit a variety of life situations, always tailoring care to meet your unique needs.

I am first and foremost a helper at heart and love being a counselor. I have been in practice as a Licensed Counselor for 20 years. I have experience in working with Children, Adolescents and Adults.