About Therapy
You are safe here.
Many believe that their suffering from trauma is a life sentence – that they’ll never feel better.
It’s not… and you can.
I know that opening up about your past can be scary… and there are issues you’re facing right now that you have no idea how to solve.
That’s why I’m here – to support you and give you the help and hope you deserve.
Come as you are.
I’ll always greet you with a smile, but you don’t have to do the same.
I accept every mood.
I don’t mind sweatshirts and messy hair… or where you’re sitting when you’re talking to me from the comfort of your home.
There is no “right” way to be. Just bring YOU to our conversations.
We won’t take forever to get you results.
There’s a myth that therapy moves a lot like a sloth – that it takes forever to get anything done.
I’m not going to waste our time.
We’ll go at a pace that you’re comfortable with, and I’ll make sure we have a plan and that we’re making progress on it.
As our work unfolds, you’ll never have to wonder if I’m holding something back or if I’m thinking something that I’m not telling you. I will always be kind and direct with you.
I will always seek the best within you and leverage your strengths to help you live a better life.
Therapy is a type of partnership.
You bring everything you’ve got to sessions: your goals (and your doubts that you’ll ever achieve them), your strengths, and your self-criticism.
I listen deeply, discern the patterns, and give you feedback to make sure it resonates with you on all levels.
I’ll give you recommendations, tools, and insights based on my methods and research; I don’t make it up as I go.
Don’t wait to get started.
There might be a voice inside you telling you that this won’t work – that it’ll be like everything else you’ve tried: a waste of time and effort.
Don’t listen to it.
You’ll likely see and feel positive change within several weeks.
Why put off feeling better??
Call today. Let’s talk more about how I can help during your free consultation: (757) 967-7342.
About Chris Doriani, MA, ACSW, LCSW
“Doriani, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
That’s what my teacher shouted at me one day. But I had a good reason for what I was doing!
There was a boy in my class with autism who was always getting bullied, especially by this one kid (who was bigger than all of us).
One day, though… I had had enough. The bully picked on him again, and I intervened. I pushed him against the wall, lecturing him about his terrible behavior. That’s when the teacher demanded to know what I was doing.
“He was picking on Jimmy!” The teacher’s eyes narrowed. He smiled and said, “Okay!” He knew my character, so I didn’t get in trouble (the 70s was a different time!). I became a hall monitor after that.
That event put me on a mission.
I wanted to alleviate suffering through skillful intervention when invited to do so.
So, I got the right education and training to do it.
I started in the clinical social work program at the University of Chicago. With my master’s degree in hand, I focused on treating families and trauma.
I became nationally board-certified (Academy of Certified Social Workers) in 1991. Since 1993, I have held independent clinical licenses in five states. I began training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 1995 and completed advanced training by 2003.
When I’m not doing therapy…
I love spending time with my wife and three grown children, who all live nearby.
At our home, we have a big organic garden with vines and fruit trees.
I love to run, cycle, swim, kayak, lift weights, and hike, much of which I do with my wife.