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LCSW

Claudia Stephens, LCSW

  • Experience27 years
  • LocationVirginia
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, and Parenting
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Attachment-Based Therapy
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About Claudia

Claudia Stephens is a licensed clinical social worker with 27 years of experience helping people navigate emotional and relational challenges.

Background and approach

She draws on a blend of approaches to support recovery from depression, anxiety, trauma, and compassion fatigue while helping clients build self-esteem, improve communication, and cope with life changes. Her background includes work as a clinical social worker and middle school counselor, providing perspective on development and interpersonal patterns across the lifespan.

Claudia emphasizes a compassionate, client-centered atmosphere where exploration and healing can happen at a steady, personalized pace. She integrates evidence-based tools such as cognitive behavioral strategies and EMDR alongside Attachment-Based Therapy and Internal Family Systems concepts to address family dynamics, grief, intimacy-related issues, and struggles like abandonment or codependency.

Claudia tailors guidance to each person's goals, whether that involves career transitions, parenting challenges, or processing traumatic experiences.

Integrating therapeutic models into online care

Claudia uses Internal Family Systems ideas to help clients explore internal parts and foster self-led healing, which can be useful for issues like shame, self-criticism, and complex emotional patterns. She also employs Attachment-Based Therapy to examine relational patterns and how early attachment experiences influence present-day relationships and emotional responses. Additionally she draws on Client-Centered Therapy to prioritize the client's perspective, offering empathic listening and collaboration to shape treatment goals.

Finding the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and symptoms with each person and recommend techniques or a blend of approaches that fit the client's needs, adjusting the plan over time based on progress and feedback.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and accessibility for people balancing work, family, or other commitments. These options allow for ongoing support and continuity of care while enabling scheduling that fits varied lifestyles.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, parenting, self-esteem, relationship and family problems, grief, intimacy-related issues, career concerns, and coping with life changes.
What therapeutic styles does she use in sessions?
Her work blends client-centered care with evidence-based methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR, and she also incorporates Attachment-Based Therapy and Internal Family Systems ideas as clinically appropriate.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Claudia brings 27 years of experience in mental health practice, including roles as a clinical social worker and middle school counselor that inform her understanding of development and relational patterns.
Where is she licensed and practicing?
She holds the LCSW credential with licenses in Virginia and Texas: VA LCSW 0904018323 and TX LCSW 17741, and is listed as practicing in Virginia.
What languages are available for therapy sessions?
Sessions are conducted in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
Which session formats are offered?
Claudia provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and needs.
How are sessions priced and paid for?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseParenting issuesSelf esteemDepression

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesCareer difficultiesCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesBlended family issuesCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

27+ years

Licensed

Texas, Virginia

Languages

English