Addiction therapists & psychiatrists in Roanoke, VA

I’m a licensed mental health therapist with over 10 years of experience working with individuals across a range of settings. I specialize in anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, and relationship concerns, with additional experience in trauma and self-esteem work. My background includes training in evidence-based approaches, and I’m committed to providing a supportive, nonjudgmental space. I view therapy as a collaborative process focused on helping you create meaningful, lasting change.

Beginning therapy can feel vulnerable, and I believe you deserve to be met with warmth, respect, and genuine curiosity. I’m Gretchen Soto, M.Ed., LPC, and I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, relationship concerns, and caregiver strain. My approach is affirming, collaborative, and grounded in trauma-informed, culturally responsive care. Together, we will draw upon your strengths, explore what matters most to you, and identify meaningful steps toward the life you want.

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.

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.

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.