Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in Newport News, VA

I am a board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner for over 5 years, and I am also a board certified adult nurse practitioner for over 12 years. I began my nursing career graduating from university of MD with my bachelors, and then attended Johns Hopkins University for my masters. I decided to further my education by attending Brandman University to obtain my Doctorate and psychiatric mental health certification in 2018.

Hello, and welcome. Are you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected from your sense of purpose, fulfillment, or passion? Do you feel misunderstood by the people around you, or find yourself repeating unhealthy patterns that no longer serve you? Perhaps you want things to change but are unsure where to begin.

“It is okay not to be okay.” Life’s unexpected challenges can leave us feeling emotionally exhausted, uncertain, and alone. You do not have to navigate those experiences by yourself. I provide a private, safe, and supportive environment where you can openly explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences while building greater self-awareness, healing, and resilience.

My name is Brenda Hardin, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with more than 20 years of professional experience. I am licensed in Indiana, New Jersey, and Virginia. I view therapy as a collaborative and empowering process that creates space for healing, personal growth, and meaningful change.

I specialize in supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, and life transitions.

Personal Statement

Trauma has a way of convincing you that you're stuck, broken, or always waiting for the next bad thing to happen. The good news? None of that has to be your forever. I work with young adults who are tired of just surviving. Whether you're dealing with PTSD, childhood trauma, anxiety, relationship patterns that keep repeating themselves, or emotions that seem to have a mind of their own, we'll figure it out together. My therapy style is anything but robotic. I show up as a real person, and I invite you to do the same. Therapy with me is collaborative, creative, and tailored to who you are.

Thank you for reaching out for assistance. I have been providing mental health interventions and support for 36 years as an LCSW. I have also been credentialed as a trauma and ICU nurse and very early on in my professional life I was a special education teacher and received a masters in education as well.

My first few decades in practice was dedicated to the care and treatment of children 4 -12 years of age and adolescents 13 to 18 many who had been adjudicated for protection. Because of my nursing background and work in oncology I also have experience in providing supportive care for loss and grief issues as well as education and support for chronic illness, and post trauma care.

I have in the past 15 years began to work also with adults. I am licensed in EMDR interventions for PTSD both acute and chronic post trauma effects.

Because of my medical background i try and include a holistic approach to understanding both the physical and psychological issues my clients may be experiencing .

I have been practicing as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for over 20 years. I have worked with children, adolescents and adults. I have experience working with individuals who have experienced trauma and I am trained in EMDR. I work with individuals who are struggling with anxiety as well as relationship challenges.

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.

Hi, my name is Austin and welcome to my private practice. As a man who has been deeply affected and healed by counseling, I get the need and role of counseling firsthand. This is why I love counseling: I believe humans were created to share their stories and to work through difficulties together. Counseling is my life’s passion. I am truly honored and delighted to now walk alongside others in dark places toward durable hope and lasting change.

I am personally acquainted with the pain of grief. After the loss of my mother to suicide, I began a counseling journey that revealed many unexplored areas in my life that needed compassion and care. These experiences have brought me face to face with life’s difficulties.

I received my Bachelor’s Degree from the United States Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, CO) in Foreign Area Studies (Russia and Eastern Europe). After graduation, I worked as a military aviator and US Air Force Officer in domestic and international locations. I returned to graduate school to pursue a Master’s of Arts in Counseling and a Master’s of Divinity at Covenant Theological Seminary. Over the years, as a counselor, I have worked in a community-based counseling center, as a staff counselor for a church counseling center, and I am now in independent practice, working with men, veterans, couples, and families navigating trauma and PTSD, and the many ups and downs of life.

I have traveled throughout the world during my Air Force career. Seeing the many ways humans experience the world, in all its pain and joy, has only increased my passion to care for others. From working with teenagers and their struggles to individuals seeking hope to the married couple with decades of experience to everyone in between. I love working with people who are struggling and want change.

I believe therapy begins with feeling safe enough to be honest and being heard without judgment. I want my clients to know that you don't have to have all the answers before coming to therapy. Sometimes taking the first step is the hardest part.

I earned my Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Maryland and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) licensed in Virginia and Maryland. I have worked in behavioral health for many years, with a particular focus on substance use, co-occurring mental health concerns, and trauma. My experience includes working with adults from diverse backgrounds and supporting individuals through residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient levels of care.

I genuinely enjoy helping people recognize strengths they may have forgotten they have. I believe that your diagnosis, substance use, trauma, or past experiences are only part of your story—they do not define who you are. I will meet you where you are and work with you to identify where you want to go next.

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.

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.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with almost 20 years of professional work experience addressing a range of mental health issues across the lifespan. Most of my life was spent in East Tennessee but my career experience began in Virginia where I obtained my counseling license in 2014. In 2020 I moved to Yuma, Arizona, and am eligible to work with clients in both states.

Education and Credentials:

I received my Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2003 from Radford University in Radford, Virginia. I soon followed it with my Master's degree in Counseling in 2007 at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. In 2021 I received my School Counseling Certificate from the state of Arizona.

With 26 years of clinical experience as a licensed therapist in DC and Virginia, I support individuals navigating life’s complexities—from stress, trauma, and grief to fertility concerns, family dynamics, LGBTQIA+ experiences, anxiety, depression, and moments of transition.

As a proud Howard University graduate, my work is grounded in cultural humility, social justice, and a belief that mental health is inseparable from history, community, and lived experience. Howard taught me to see clients not just through symptoms, but as whole people shaped by family, identity, policy, and perseverance.

This perspective fuels my commitment to therapy as both a healing space and a form of liberation. My practice is anchored in integrity, guided by compassion, and centered on the dignity and humanity of every person I serve.

Having initially entered the substance abuse treatment field 35 years ago, I completed a Masters in Clinical Social work and began work as a psychotherapist in both mental health agencies and private practice. I have over 30 years as a licensed clinical social worker. I also have a license as a substance abuse treatment practitioner.

I have supervised other therapists and I have expertise in the treatment of co-occurring (mental health & substance use) disorders and trauma.

I am a board-certified Nurse Practitioner with training in both primary care and psychiatric mental health. I have extensive experience providing care in community, correctional, and integrated care settings, where I work with individuals managing anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma-related conditions, and other mental health concerns.

I strive to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard and respected. I value thoughtful assessment, clear communication, and collaborative decision-making to help clients better understand their symptoms and treatment options. My goal is to partner with each client to develop a personalized care plan that supports both mental and overall well-being.