Robyn E Brickel MA, LMFT, LLC

12/12/2025

Do you feel safer alone - distancing yourself from others to avoid getting hurt?
Or do you feel terrified of being alone, constantly surrounding yourself with people so you’re never left with your own thoughts?

For many trauma survivors, these extremes aren’t personality quirks, they’re survival strategies. When relationships were unsafe or needs went unmet, your nervous system learned: connection is dangerous, or abandonment is unbearable. Those early beliefs can follow into adulthood, shaping how we relate, isolate, cling, or avoid.

The truth is: both extremes can be painful. Isolation may protect you, and it can also deepen loneliness. Constant companionship may soothe panic, and it can lead to unsafe relationships or behaviors. When trauma leaves us feeling like we have only two choices, all or nothing, it’s the nervous system trying its best to keep us safe.

Trauma-informed therapy helps you gently explore the space in between. With support, your “either/or” can become a “both/and”, allowing you to build self-trust, tolerate connection at your pace, and learn that safety can exist in relationships and within yourself.

If black-and-white coping no longer feels right for you, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Healing is possible, and you deserve support that honors how hard you’ve worked to survive.

We offer trauma-informed therapy in Old Town Alexandria, VA, guided by safety, pacing, and nervous-system awareness. When you’re ready, reach out. We’re here to help you find your way toward a life that feels more connected, grounded, and truly yours. https://ow.ly/g0nV50XFJLh

12/11/2025

In a recent The New York Times essay “The Three Times I Married My Wife,” the author reflects on how marriage is not defined by a single ceremony, but by repeated commitments through life’s hardest realities. Read about the depth that relationships take in the full article, https://ow.ly/opOV50XFJuo.

12/11/2025

Starting therapy can feel like a big step. Whether you’re navigating trauma, anxiety, relationship stress, new parenthood, or simply longing for more ease in your daily life, you deserve support that feels safe, compassionate, and paced at what’s right for you. At Brickel and Associates, we’re here to help you take that first step with care.

Our trauma-informed psychotherapy services are designed to meet you where you are. We offer Individual Therapy, Couples and Family Therapy, EMDR, adolescent support, maternal and perinatal mental health, and group therapy options. Every path begins with building trust and honoring your nervous system’s wisdom, because healing happens through connection, not pressure.

When you reach out, our Clinical Director, Robyn Brickel, will speak with you to understand your needs, answer questions, and explore whether we’re the right fit. If so, you’ll receive everything you need to get started, including access to our secure client portal — and we’ll walk alongside you through each step of the process. Therapy is provided primarily in-person from our Old Town Alexandria office, creating a comfortable and supportive environment for relational healing.

If you’re considering beginning therapy, we would be honored to support you. Visit our website or contact our team at 703-518-8883 to learn more and get started. You don’t have to do this alone, we’re here, and we’re ready when you’re ready.

12/10/2025

AI is showing up in mental health spaces - from mood-tracking apps to chatbots that promise companionship or “support.” These tools can feel convenient and accessible. But when it comes to healing from trauma, technology cannot replace the power of a real human relationship. Trauma is relational, and healing must be too.

Trauma-informed therapy isn’t just about exchanging words or receiving advice. It’s about safety, connection, pacing, and co-regulation with a therapist who can attune to your nervous system. Healing happens through presence—someone noticing when you shut down, honoring your boundaries, and building trust that grows over time. A machine can mimic supportive language, but it cannot feel with you or create the conditions where relational wounds are repaired.

AI may help track patterns or offer short-term coping tools, but it cannot carry ethical responsibility or keep you truly safeguarded in moments of crisis. It doesn’t understand your story’s context, your culture, attachment history, or the survival strategies your body learned to stay safe. It cannot provide the emotional corrective experiences that help trauma survivors rediscover connection, worthiness, and belonging.

You deserve human support. If you are navigating trauma, grief, anxiety, or relational struggles, you don’t have to do it alone. Our practice offers trauma-informed psychotherapy in Old Town Alexandria, VA, where healing happens through compassionate, attuned connection. Reach out to schedule a consultation or learn more about our services, your story deserves to be met with care.

Learn more by visiting our recent blog, Why AI Can’t Be Your Therapist, https://ow.ly/beME50XFJg7.

12/09/2025

A recent Washington Post article shares that creative activities like dancing and playing music and making art may help slow brain aging. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers analyzed brain imaging from more than 1,400 people and found that those regularly engaged in artistic or cognitively demanding hobbies had “younger” brain profiles, with highly skilled tango dancers showing the greatest benefit. Importantly, even beginners gained anti-aging effects when learning a creative skill. Learn more, https://ow.ly/niQT50XFIIr.

12/09/2025

Brickel and Associates, a trauma-informed psychotherapy practice in Old Town Alexandria, is seeking a licensed clinician trained in EMDR to join our team.

We specialize in trauma, complex PTSD, dissociation, maternal mental health, addictions, and attachment-based work, and we’re looking for someone who shares our commitment to paced, ethical, neurobiologically informed care.

We offer:
• A steady stream of referrals
• Competitive compensation
• Individual case consultation, including EMDRIA approved consultation toward certification
• Peer consultation + a supportive team
• A beautiful, comfortable office space
• Paid parking + liability coverage
If you’re an EMDR therapist who values thoughtful, relational trauma work, we would love to hear from you.

Send your cover letter + CV to: Robyn@robynbrickel.com and learn more by visiting out website, https://ow.ly/Bkuc50XFIwZ.

12/08/2025

Therapy can be life-changing, especially when it begins with a strong foundation. For trauma survivors in particular, healing depends on safety, trust, and consistency. It’s not just about what happens in each session, but the relationship, environment, and structure surrounding the work. When therapy is thoughtfully set up from the start, it supports a steadier, more empowered path toward healing.

One of the most important steps is choosing a trauma-informed therapist who understands how trauma impacts both the body and mind. Education, training, and experience matter, especially when your nervous system is working hard to stay safe. A trauma-informed therapist offers emotional safety, transparency, collaboration, and a deep respect for your pace. For many survivors, weekly in-person sessions can further support nervous system regulation, build trust, reduce distractions, and create a grounded, predictable space for connection.

Trauma-healing also benefits from coordinated, whole-person care. When your therapist is willing to collaborate with other providers, it allows for a more integrated and consistent approach. And while weekly therapy often offers the structure needed to build rapport and relational safety, some clients may need more frequent support during challenging phases. The therapeutic relationship takes time to develop, and that gradual deepening of trust is part of the work. Therapy isn’t a quick fix, but a relational process that helps you explore emotions, understand boundaries, and experience a healthier, safer connection.

If you’re beginning therapy or considering taking that first step, setting yourself up for success means choosing the right provider, showing up consistently, and honoring your own pace. Learn more by reading our blog, How to Set Therapy Up for Success – Especially for Trauma Survivors: 5 Ways to Create a Strong Foundation for Healing. https://ow.ly/zKJE50XFI6i

12/07/2025

Brickel and Associates in Alexandria, Virginia is hiring for another EMDR trained therapist and a licensed therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW, etc) to join our in-person trauma-informed team.

Please feel free to share this post if you know someone who may be interested and/or reach out directly if you are interested - Robyn@RobynBrickel.com

https://brickelandassociates.com/about-robyn-brickel-lmft-2015/employment/

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4325974952/

This psychotherapist position is a W2 position at an established private practice, specializing in trauma-informed care in Alexandria, VA.

12/07/2025

It can sometimes feel like we’re being pulled in so many directions - to keep doing, giving, and showing up.

Have you ever slowed down to notice what your internal world might be asking for? What if it’s something different? Learning to listen to those cues is an essential part of healing, especially for trauma survivors.

For many people with trauma histories, rest doesn’t always feel safe. The nervous system may have learned that being still meant being vulnerable, or that you had to stay alert to stay safe. Over time, this can make slowing down feel uncomfortable or even guilt-inducing.
Guess what - rest isn’t a luxury, it’s your body’s way of recovering, integrating, and returning to safety.

Listening to yourself means honoring what your body and emotions are communicating without judgment. Some days, that might mean deep rest. Other days, it might mean movement, connection, or quiet reflection. Giving yourself grace means releasing the “shoulds” and meeting yourself where you are, rather than where you think you need to be.

Learning to trust your bodies’ signals, regulate your nervous systems, and make space for rest and recovery without shame can be challenging, especially for trauma survivors. If you’re ready to start your therapy journey, we’re here for you. Visit our website to learn more, meet our therapists, and schedule an appointment with our team.

12/05/2025

The holidays are often portrayed as always joyful and warm.

For many, that is not how it goes. The holiday season can also bring up complicated feelings of hurt, guilt, obligation, or grief.

If you’ve experienced trauma or loss, this season may stir reminders of pain, unmet expectations, or relationships that don’t feel safe. You might feel torn between wanting to honor tradition and needing to protect your emotional well-being. Both experiences can be true.

Many trauma survivors are especially attuned to others’ needs, often prioritizing harmony or care for loved ones over their own peace. When you begin setting boundaries or choosing differently, emotions can stir. Holding several emotions at once can simply be a sign that you’re healing, learning to care for yourself in new, healthy ways.

If this season brings grief, remember that you don’t have to “push past it” to participate in the holidays. Grief and gratitude can coexist. There’s space for both sadness and meaning, for missing what was, while creating moments of comfort in the present. You might find healing in small rituals, quiet reflection, or connecting with people who feel safe and understanding.

Our trauma-informed therapists support clients through the emotional complexities of the holiday season, helping you find safety, balance, and self-compassion in the midst of it all.

If this time of year starts to feel heavy, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Visit our website to learn more and reach out to schedule an appointment with our team.

12/04/2025

Loving relationships can offer comfort, safety, and connection. For many survivors of childhood trauma, closeness can also feel overwhelming or frightening. When early experiences taught that trusting wasn’t safe, or that needs were too much, forming secure bonds later in life can bring confusion, self-doubt, or a fear of intimacy. These responses aren’t character flaws, they’re the nervous system’s learned survival strategies.

Unresolved trauma can show up in relationships through heightened emotions, withdrawal, difficulty communicating, or a constant fear of being hurt or abandoned. Even with a caring partner, old beliefs like “Don’t trust,” or “Don’t be a burden,” may linger beneath the surface. Survivors may struggle with anxiety, depression, panic, or unhealthy relationship patterns — not because they don’t want love, but because their bodies and minds are still trying to make sense of past pain.

Healing requires compassion, support, and a trauma-informed approach. Therapy can help individuals and couples begin to notice what feelings belong to the present, and what comes from earlier wounds. Through psychoeducation, nervous system regulation, and a safe therapeutic relationship, survivors and their partners can learn new ways of communicating, calming triggers, setting boundaries, and building trust over time. No one is meant to navigate this alone, and it isn’t one partner’s job to “fix” the other. Both deserve support.

With consistent, trauma-informed care, it is possible to move from surviving to securely connecting. If you’re in the Alexandria, VA area and looking for support for yourself or your relationship, we’re here to help. You deserve connection that feels safe. https://ow.ly/pYEh50XBmAH

12/03/2025

Brickel and Associates currently has openings with therapist, LauraChioma Jones, MA, NCC, ATR-P.

LauraChioma is a Virginia Licensed Resident in Counseling, a Provisional Registered Art Therapist, and a National Certified Counselor. She brings a warm, affirming, and safe therapeutic presence to her work, supporting adults, older adolescents, couples, and families here in our Old Town Alexandria practice.

With specialized training in trauma-informed care and art therapy, LauraChioma integrates creativity, collaboration, and a deep respect for each client’s unique story. Her experience includes supporting individuals navigating trauma, perinatal mental health, anxiety, depression, self-harm, relationship challenges, disabilities, and grief. She values cultural competence and is dedicated to understanding how identity and lived experience shape the healing process.

LauraChioma blends art therapy, mindfulness-based strategies, and other bottom-up trauma-informed approaches. Her work is rooted in hope, compassion, and empowerment—helping clients strengthen their resilience and build healthier relationships with themselves and others.

She continues advanced clinical training in trauma, maternal mental health, dissociation, and relationships under the supervision of Robyn Brickel, MA, LMFT, as well as ongoing development in art therapy under supervision as well.

If you are seeking trauma-informed therapy in the Alexandria, VA area, LauraChioma may be a great fit. Visit our website to learn more and reach out to schedule an appointment. https://ow.ly/PUiC50XBmfs