Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling near Alexandria, VA

Biography: I am clinically licensed in both West Virginia and Virginia with almost 10 years of professional work experience in mental health. I have experience in helping clients with stress, anxiety, coping with addictions, relationship issues, motivation, self esteem, & confidence. I also have experience working with depression. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

Biography: I have been a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Virginia for the past 25 years. I am licensed in Professional Counseling; Marriage and Family Counseling and Addictions. I have a PhD in Counseling and Education. My primary focus and experience is working with Anxiety and Depression especially with those who have suffered trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I am also focused on addiction of all kinds to include: substance abuse, drug addition, workaholism, alcoholism, and addiction to exercise. I have worked with adolescents, their families, and adults with addiction and dual disorders for the past 25 years. Working with parents dealing with addiction in their teenagers is also one of my expertise. I wrote a book, "Teenland: A Parent's Guide to Navigating the World of Adolescence" (which can be gotten through me directly) which helps parents parent adolescents. Addictions I have worked with included alcohol, illicit substances, and medication abuse. I have also worked with professionals (doctors, nurses, CEOs, police officers, etc.) who were dealing with work addiction (aka workaholic) and their family members . I have helped those with PTSD through a program headquartered in Las Vegas called "Ponies North." This program is for veterans who are suffering with PTSD and other mood disorders. In addition to PTSD I have worked extensively with those with anxiety disorders to include Social Anxiety Disorder, Body Dysmorphia,and General Anxiety Disorder. My approaches includes Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Person Centered, Solution Focused therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Neuro Linguistic Programing . Change is possible no matter how old you are or what the issues are. I can help guide you to whatever changes you decide you want. Our work is a partnership. I am an expert on change and you are the expert on you.

Biography: It's great news that you're here! It takes a lot of courage to reach out and ask for help, especially since so many of us think that we "should be able" to take care of what's bothering us on our own. Whether you are seeking counseling to address a specific situation or you just want to take stock of your life in general, you are acknowledging that you would like things to be different. For change to happen, well, things need to change. What we often don't realize is that changing requires taking action, and that in of itself is a skill to be learned and practiced. My name is Jes Conway and I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 19 years of experience working with individuals, families and couples in a wide range of settings. I really am excited to get to know you and to see how I might be of service. You and I both have knowledge to bring to our work together, for you are the expert on your own life and experiences, and I have some skills to teach and methods to help you find the ways to practice these that best suit your personality and preferences. A major theme in much of my work is teaching clients how to capitalize on difficult moments, thoughts and feelings rather than attempting to push them away. By learning to take a peek at these unpleasant experiences, we can begin to realize that they are very useful in helping to identify some of the thought and behavior patterns that have led to our frustrations and dissatisfaction. Of particular interest to me is exploring with clients how alcohol/substance use is affecting their lives. I find that some of my most rewarding work is with people who suspect or know that they are having difficulty due to powerlessness over substances. I utilize a non-judgmental and curious approach and truly am interested in helping others discover what substances are doing for them, so that we can find alternate ways to achieve the same results. If abstinence or recovery is already your goal, it's helpful to know that outpatient counseling is a wonderful compliment to your chosen recovery program. In addition, I enjoy working with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, lack of purpose or meaning, low self-esteem/ self-worth, life transitions/feeling "stuck," and relationship issues. I am also a strong proponent of communication and assertiveness training; I believe that it's essential to affirm and validate one another's experiences, regardless of whether we agree or disagree. I look forward to meeting and working with you. Take care until then.