Robyn E Brickel MA, LMFT, LLC

01/26/2026

Dissociation is often misunderstood. It’s actually a protective and adaptive response your nervous system uses to manage overwhelming experiences. It can show up as feeling disconnected, numb, foggy, or “not fully here.” Rather than a sign of weakness, dissociation reflects resilience, your system doing what it needed to survive.

In trauma-informed therapy, dissociation is met with curiosity, care, and respect. The goal isn’t to eliminate it – not at all. The goal is to understand it, build internal and external safety, and gently expand your capacity to stay present when it feels safe to do so. Healing is about honoring the wisdom of your nervous system while supporting growth, connection, and presence at a pace that works for you.

If you’re ready to start therapy, visit our website to learn how to schedule an appointment with our team and take the first step toward safety, understanding, and healing. https://ow.ly/LU1r50XWvY5

01/25/2026

We believe healing works best when therapy is collaborative. Trauma-informed care centers around safety, and safety includes choice, transparency, and deep respect for each client’s autonomy and lived experience.

You are the expert on your inner world. Therapy is not something done to you, but a partnership built together. Goals, pacing, and approaches are shaped collaboratively, honoring what feels supportive, accessible, and right for you.

Collaboration helps restore a sense of agency that trauma can take away. Your voice matters in your healing, and your experience deserves to be heard and respected.

The team is currently accepting new clients, and we would be honored to collaborate with you as you move toward care, growth, and healing - at your pace, in your way.

01/23/2026

Our Clinical Director, Robyn Brickel, will be out of the office starting today, January 23rd through February 8th. She will return to the office on Monday, February 9th.

During this time, our team remains available to support current clients. If you have any scheduling needs, questions, or concerns, please reach out to our office—we are here to help.

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming Robyn back refreshed and ready to continue supporting your healing journey.

01/22/2026

Feeling lonely in a crowd isn’t always common, but being surrounded by people doesn’t guarantee real connection.

Loneliness is unchosen disconnection, while solitude is chosen restoration.
Many ignore emotions to keep pace with life, numbing both pain and joy, which narrows the emotional range and flattens experiences.

Do you want to feel more connected? Brickel and Associates know that connection is the anecdote for emotional pain.

Learn more, https://ow.ly/GgpV50XWvVV.

Surrounded by people and still alone? Consider what loneliness is really trying to tell you.

01/21/2026

Complex, developmental, and relational trauma develops in environments where safety, consistency, or emotional attunement were missing with primary caregivers. Its long-term effects can be subtle yet far-reaching, influencing emotional regulation, self-worth, identity, and how we show up in relationships with others and ourselves.

Trauma-informed therapy understands that healing this kind of trauma takes time. Rather than pushing for insight, disclosure, or “fixing” symptoms, the work begins with creating safety, building stability, and restoring a sense of choice and agency. Healing happens through pacing, trust, and compassionate curiosity.

There is nothing broken about you. Your nervous system adapted in intelligent ways to help you survive what you experienced. With the right support, those survival patterns no longer needed, can gently soften, making space for connection, regulation, and relief.

You deserve to feel safe in your body, in your relationships, and in your life. If you’re seeking trauma-informed therapy in Alexandria, VA or the DC area, Brickel and Associates is here to support you. https://ow.ly/TqiI50XWvUz

01/20/2026

Relationships are where we first learn about safety, trust, and connection. They can also be where emotional wounds form—especially when a child’s needs aren’t consistently met. Past traumatic relational experiences can shape how we attach, communicate, set boundaries, and protect ourselves long after those moments have passed.

In trauma-informed therapy, we gently explore these relational patterns with curiosity rather than blame. Understanding attachment styles and nervous system responses can help make sense of why certain dynamics feel activating, overwhelming, or familiar. This awareness creates space for new ways of relating, ones rooted in safety, clarity, and self-compassion.

Healing doesn’t only happen in relationships; it happens through relationships. With the right support, it’s possible to build more secure, connected, and fulfilling relationships with others and with yourself. If you’re seeking trauma-informed therapy in Alexandria, VA or the greater DC area, Brickel and Associates is here to support you. Visit our website to learn more and schedule an appointment with our team. www.brickelandassociates.com

01/19/2026

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we pause to reflect on justice, dignity, and collective healing.

Dr. King reminds us that injustice, violence, and dehumanization do not only harm individuals—they impact entire communities and generations. Trauma is not created in isolation, and healing doesn’t happen in isolation either. It requires safety, equity, and connection.

At Brickel and Associates, we honor this day by continuing to commit to offering trauma-informed care that recognizes the impact of systemic oppression, racial trauma, and chronic stress on the nervous system and mental health. Healing includes creating spaces where people are seen, heard, and supported, without minimizing their lived experiences.

Dr. King spoke of the “beloved community.” In therapy, we see this as the ongoing work of restoring safety, humanity, and hope—both within ourselves and in the world around us.

May today be a reminder that care, justice, and healing are deeply connected—and that tending to one supports the others.

01/18/2026

Thinking about starting therapy but not sure where to begin? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

At Brickel and Associates, we understand that taking the first step can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to meet you where you are and hear what you need to feel supported and ready for therapy. Every person’s journey is unique, and your care should be too.

Learn more about our trauma-informed approach and how we work with clients on our website. When you’re ready, you can easily schedule an initial consultation and take that first step toward healing and growth.

You deserve support and the right assistance can make all the difference. Our team is currently accepting new clients, so if you’re ready to start your journey, visit our website to learn more and schedule an appointment with our team.

01/16/2026

We’re a few weeks into the new year - how’s your self-care going?

Every day is an opportunity to care for yourself, not just January 1st. True self-care isn’t just about pampering, it’s about compassion, boundaries, and connection. Speak kindly to yourself, ask for what you need, and set proactive boundaries that protect your time, energy, and well-being.

Surround yourself with people you trust and who support you. Notice when your nervous system feels tense and give yourself permission to respond with care. Even small acts, like asking for a slower morning or taking a moment to breathe, make a difference. Celebrate yourself for showing up, just as you would for a loved one.

Self-care can look many ways - fuzzy slippers, meditation, therapy, or simply creating space to breathe. What matters is honoring your needs and prioritizing your well-being. If pursuing therapy is part of your self-care this year, we’re here to help you start. Every day is a chance to give yourself the care you deserve. Learn more by visiting our blog, Four Ways to Really Take Care of Yourself in The New Year. https://ow.ly/KRQe50XVCn6

01/15/2026

Menopause is a significant life transition that affects far more than hormones. Shifts in sleep, mood, memory, energy, and emotional regulation can feel disorienting and, at times, overwhelming. For individuals with trauma histories, these changes may amplify anxiety, irritability, grief, or a sense of losing control, sometimes activating unresolved experiences from earlier chapters of life.

From a trauma-informed perspective, this isn’t a personal failure or something to “push through.” Hormonal changes can impact the nervous system, lowering tolerance for stress and making emotional responses feel more intense or unpredictable. What may look like overreaction is often the body signaling a need for support, safety, and care.

Trauma-informed therapy offers a space to slow down and make sense of these changes without minimizing or pathologizing them. By supporting nervous system regulation, emotional processing, and self-compassion, therapy can help restore steadiness, self-trust, and a sense of agency during menopause – allowing you to ask for the help you need and deserve.

You are not imagining this. You are not too sensitive. Your experience is real, valid, and deserving of thoughtful, informed support. If menopause feels like it’s bringing more than just physical symptoms, you don’t have to navigate it alone. https://ow.ly/arhV50XVBW5

01/15/2026

The number of people struggling with depression is increasing in the United States.

Brickel and Associates understands that connection and relationships matter.

Check out this CNN article for tips on what to do if you’re feeling depressed.

More than 1 in 6 Americans report they are currently depressed, and the numbers have been trending up. Dr. Charles Raison offers tips for how to care for yourself when caring for yourself is a challenge.

01/14/2026

January is often recognized as Mental Wellness Month, a time to shift the focus from “new year, new you” pressure toward care, reflection, and emotional well-being. Rather than pushing for immediate change or productivity, Mental Wellness Month invites us to check in with ourselves, notice how we’re really doing, and honor the needs of our minds and nervous systems.

Mental wellness isn’t about feeling happy all the time. It’s about having support, tools, and self-awareness to navigate stress, emotions, relationships, and life transitions with greater steadiness. This can look like setting boundaries, building routines that feel regulating, seeking connection, practicing self-compassion, or reaching out for professional support when things feel heavy.

January can be a powerful time to begin gently. Whether that means starting therapy, exploring new coping tools, reducing self-judgment, or simply allowing rest to be part of your routine, tending to your mental health now lays a foundation for the months ahead. Mental wellness is not a resolution, it’s an ongoing practice of care, curiosity, and connection.