Meet the Therapist
Meet Hallie, LMSW
It’s time for teenagers to believe in the best version of who they’re becoming.
I’m a Northern Virginia-based therapist specializing in depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation in teenagers.
I want you to truly hear this…
I believe that teenagers are people in progress, not problems to be solved
At the core of my approach as a therapist is a belief that teenagers often represents the best versions of ourselves.
Teenagers often have everything they need to thrive inside of them already. Sometimes, inner wisdom gets buried under the expectations of others, traumatic experiences, or the messiness of growing up. Having a guide who takes their concerns seriously, spotlights their strengths, and helps them truly believe in themselves during the formative years can make all the difference.
16 year old Hallie
Our emotions can show us the right path to take—if we’re able to truly listen.
Teenagers are famous for their big emotions. Adults are famous for being annoyed with emotional teenagers. But here’s the deal: when we shut down emotional responses to make our lives easier, we’re cutting ourselves off from some important information. When teens get really good at figuring out how they’re feeling, they build an emotional compass that can help them build a resilient, productive, and authentic life.
Coping skills are important, but they aren’t a shortcut for doing the real work of figuring out what’s going on beneath the surface. Therapy can help teens put words to their experience and think through next steps. If we want teens to grow into adults who are in the divers’ seat of their own lives, we have to equip them with the skills to manage their emotional needs now so that they can really thrive.
My work with teens focuses on getting to know the real person beneath the symptoms that bring them into treatment. People are more than their diagnosis and there is rarely (if ever) a simple and straightforward cure-all for mental illness. As a social worker with over 15 years of experience working with teenagers, I excel at putting all the pieces of the puzzle together to ensure true healing, not just bandaid solutions.
Therapy with me is
Authentic
I believe that so much of the power of therapy is having a real person who you can connect with that just gets you. I bring my genuine self into the therapy room every session so that teens feel comfortable being who they really are. No performances, no shame. Just real, honest connection.
Engaging
Very few teenagers come to therapy genuinely wanting to be there. My previous experience in youth engagement has allowed me to sharpen my engagement skills. I won’t just be sitting quietly and nodding. Therapy with me is a fun, back and forth conversation. I know when to take the lead and provide structure and when to hang back.
Holistic
Teenagers have lived a whole life before they ever land in my office. Their experiences at school, with friends, and the parts they play in their family systems are crucial in understanding the whole person. In therapy, I consider the vast web of factors that contribute to what may be causing difficulties and help teens identify targeted, multifaceted solutions.
Funny
Humor is a wonderful coping skill and laughing together is how humans build connection. I excel at finding light hearted moments even when working through really tough stuff. I like to say that good therapy is equal parts laughter and tears and I work hard to bring a fun energy to sessions.
Dynamic
If you’ve ever been in therapy with someone who silently nods along with you for an hour, you’ve experienced the exact opposite of my approach. I don’t expect teens to know what to say or how to behave in therapy. My role is to facilitate an active process of engagement to help us get into the meat of our work together.
Individualized
Good therapy doesn’t come from as checklist or a manual. Teens evolve at such a rapid pace that they may even be a different person than they were last session! I know how to tailor therapy to fit the needs of who is sitting in front of me on any given day while maintaining awareness of the bigger picture of treatment.
My background
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I have a Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and am a Licensed Master Social Worker (license #0903004469) and supervisee in clinical social work in the state of Virginia.
I am completing my post-graduate experience under the supervision of Lorrie Appleton, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (license # 0904000648) at DC VA Counseling Psychotherapy in Vienna, Virginia.
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I completed advanced clinical social work field training at a community-based mental health organization providing outpatient therapy for teens and adults. Since completing my 2024, I have provided outpatient psychotherapy for teens in Northern Virginia.
I have worked in youth engagement since 2009 and have experience in a wide variety of after school programs and social services settings. Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked as a teen services librarian for 8 years.
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I have post-graduate training in Internal Family Systems and Emotionally-Focused Individual Therapy and have graduate level training using person-centered and psychodynamic approaches.
