IFSTherapists

The therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp and we will earn a commission if you use our link - at no cost to you.

LCSW, CSW

Brenda Atkinson, LCSW, CSW

  • Experience31 years
  • LocationVirginia
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Relationship, and Family
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Attachment-Based Therapy
Continue with Brenda

Review online therapy options and next steps on BetterHelp.

About Brenda

Brenda Atkinson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with more than three decades of experience supporting people through mood disorders, trauma, relationship challenges, and life transitions.

Background and approach

She draws on broad training in psychology and social work from the University of Louisville and blends structured methods with a person-focused stance to help clients address depression, anxiety, addiction, grief, parenting stress, and career concerns.

Her practice emphasizes a compassionate, authentic therapeutic relationship while using evidence-informed tools such as cognitive behavioral techniques and other approaches that honor personal meaning and growth.

Brenda places particular attention on helping clients navigate emotional and spiritual growth across stages of life, from early adulthood through middle and later life, and she brings experience with blended family dynamics, attachment-related difficulties, and complex coping issues. She welcomes clients who are looking for a thoughtful, collaborative partner to explore change, healing, and resilience.

Approaches that Guide Online Work and Personal Change

Internal Family Systems (IFS) emphasizes understanding inner parts and how they relate to one another, helping clients gently explore internal conflicts and build self-led clarity. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early and current relational patterns shape emotions and expectations, supporting changes in how people connect and feel safe with others. Client-Centered Therapy centers on an attentive, nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship where the therapist follows the client's pace and priorities to foster insight and personal growth.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and the therapist works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best align with their goals, preferences, and presenting concerns. This means approaches may be blended and adjusted over time to respond to what proves most helpful.

Online sessions offer flexibility through video calls, phone appointments, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules or when travel is difficult. These formats support continuity of care and make it possible to access licensed professionals from home or another convenient location while working on issues such as anxiety, grief, relationship patterns, trauma recovery, and life transitions.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Brenda commonly address?
She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family concerns, addictions, grief, intimacy-related issues, parenting challenges, career struggles, and compassion fatigue.
What is Brenda's therapeutic style like?
The approach combines a compassionate, client-centered stance with structured interventions such as cognitive behavioral strategies and elements from attachment-based perspectives to match individual needs and goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Brenda brings 31 years of clinical experience working across mood disorders, trauma, family dynamics, substance-related concerns, and life transition issues.
What credentials and location are associated with this therapist?
She holds LCSW and CSW credentials with license details GA LCSW CSW004649 and VA LCSW 0904015906, and she practices from Virginia.
In what languages are sessions offered and are international clients accepted?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are available with Brenda?
Clients may meet via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on their needs and scheduling options.
How are costs and billing handled for sessions?
Fees vary with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps should someone take to begin working with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseDepression

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTGriefIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

31+ years

Licensed

Georgia, Virginia

Languages

English