I’m Dr. Debra Rezendes.
I believe in the power of healthy relationships and deep, transformative change.
Right now, there is probably a relationship in your life that isn’t feeling so great. It might be your relationship with yourself, your body, your partner, the little soul that you just brought into the world, or the loss of a child you never got to meet. Nothing is worse than feeling stuck in heartache and hurt.
The individuals and couples I work with want a therapist who will provide breathing space to slow down the patterns that keep them stuck and help them really change those patterns, instead of just covering them up. They dare to heal, love, and live. If you want these things too, let’s talk.
My Approach
I work with creative, curious and motivated individuals and couples who want to turn their heartaches into breakthroughs.
Tuning In
As we work together to create a path towards healing, we will slow things down, so we can hear the wisdom of your wise self, your body, and your emotions, as well as your hurts and fears. Engaging and tuning into all parts of yourself allows us to find the ease in healing, create change that lasts, and experience new and satisfying relational moments of safety and security.
Breaking Free
Whether I am working with an individual or couple, I will help you unravel the well-worn painful stories, help you make sense of big emotions, and attune to your emotional needs. Together, we will figure out a pace that feels right so that it is less scary as we lean into the hard stuff. Our work is never about finding the “bad guy,” pointing fingers, or shaming. You deserve a safe place to unpack the big, scary stuff.
Want to know more?
Email me to schedule free 20-minute consultation.
Here are my credentials.
Specialized Skills:
Accelerated Resolution Therapy: Basic Certified, 2019
Certified EMDR Therapist, 2023
Recent Trauma & Group Protocol, 2021
Flash Technique, 2022
Natural Processing, 2022
Eating Disorders, Ego States & EMDR, 2022
Early Trauma, 2023
Trauma Regulation & Integration Process (TRIP), 2023
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Externship: 2018
Core Skills: 2020
Group Supervision: 2018 & 2021
Postpartum Support International: Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Components of Care, 2018
And here’s the formal stuff…
Debra (she/her) has over 15 years of community and clinical experience with individuals, children, families, and couples and has been published in the Journal of Happiness Studies and Autism Research and Treatment. She received her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Tech and her doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Eastern University. Over the past five years, she has gained specialized, intensive training in emotionally focused therapy (EFT), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She also has skills in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), strengths-based therapies, self-compassion training, attachment-based therapies, and solution-focused therapy. It is her mission to create an inclusive, safe space for all clients, where they feel valued, seen, and heard and create a practice that is culturally sensitive and responsive, LGBTQ+ affirming, and neurodiversity affirming.
Outside of the therapy room, Debra was previously an Assistant Professor of Psychology where she regularly taught Developmental Psychology and Health Psychology for seven years. Currently, she is an Associate Adjunct Professor of Psychology. Being a teacher at heart, she has been highly involved in scholarly and community engagement. She currently supervises MFT and Counseling Interns at Synergy Counseling, LLC. in Fairfax, VA, and she has provided numerous professional development trainings to various organizations, including UCLA’s FOCUS program, Germanna Community College, Healthy Minds Therapy, Blacksburg Autism Support Group, and Rappahannock United Way. She has served as an advisory member for Fredericksburg Counseling Services, one of the only free mental health clinics in Virginia, to help increase access to quality mental health services and served as an AAMFT Family TEAM co-lead for Virginia where she advocated for furthering MFT policy for the last four years.