Therapy Works!

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Our therapists are trained in many treatment models and utilize different types of treatments depending upon your needs. Our therapists will help you reduce your symptoms and move toward long-term success. We follow traditional and modern approaches to assist your to find healing from your trauma. To do so, we conduct an initial assessment to get a better idea of how to help you. After the assessment is completed, the therapist determines whether you should participate in individual, group, or experiential therapy. And in some cases, the recommendation is to do more than one of these forms of therapy at the same time.
First, A Clinical Assessment
  • Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis, for adolescents and adult survivors of sexual trauma and exploitation
  • The typical assessment takes about 90 minutes and helps the therapist develop a plan for how the therapist helps the survivor, through a series of questions and answers
  • Our clinician conducting the assessment determines the best techniques for the survivor to be successful in therapy. She will determine if individual, group, experiential or a combination of treatment services will be best for each survivor.

To schedule an Assessment please click this link to send an email. 

Be on Alert for Danger or Rejection

“No one can ‘treat’ a war, or abuse, rape, molestation, or any other horrendous event, for that matter; what has happened cannot be undone. But what can be dealt with are the imprints of the trauma on body, mind, and soul: the crushing sensations in your chest that you label as anxiety or depression; the fear of losing control; always being on alert for danger or rejection; the self-loathing; the nightmares and flashbacks; the fog that keeps you from staying on task and from engaging fully in what you are doing; being unable to fully open your heart to another human being.

Neuroscience research shows that the only way we can change the way we feel is by becoming aware of our inner experience and learning to befriend what is going on inside ourselves.”

–Bessel Van Der Kolk,The Body Keeps the Score
Therapeutic Treatment Approaches
​Bottom-up or top-down approaches? Which is best, or does it matter when it comes to complex trauma? 

Bottom-up techniques work through the body to change the brain, especially the lower, subcortical areas of the brain outside of conscious awareness and conscious control. For instance, bottom-up techniques can be utilized to de-activate the amygdala (fear center) or to strengthen and regulate the insula (site of interoception). Examples include breathing exercises, body awareness, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, somatic therapies, expressive therapies such as art, music, drama, and some 
meditations (all found in dialectical behavior therapy or DBT)

In top-down techniques, the mind is engaged to change the brain. In other words, the brain, especially the higher cortical areas, can be altered with thoughts. Examples include: cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), trauma-focused CBT, talk therapy, some acceptance & commitment therapy techniques (ACT), trauma-focused interventions that emphasize discussing traumatic events in detail, and some meditations. 

New DC Counseling Center

Our new DC Counseling Office is at Holy Name Parish Center, 1125 Neal Street, NE, DC. It is close to Gallaudet University. It is close to the NoMa Metro Stop (Red Line). It offers Free Parking. Contact Candace at info@r199.org if you have any questions!​

Payment for Services

​​Sliding Fee Scale Base Rates: 
Psychotherapy (65 minutes) - $150


Your Payments Keeps Our Doors Open

​If you choose to pay with your credit card and pay the service fee, then we apply the service fee savings to others so that we can offer more services to those in need. Thanks for your consideration.

Our highest priority is ensuring that every survivor of sexual trauma has access to the therapy and other social supports they need to heal. In order to remain financially sustainable so that we can continue to meet our mission, we do three things.
  1. We offer a sliding scale fee-for-services for those who qualify.
  2. We raise community support from generous individuals in our communities, corporations, churches, and foundations.
  3. If you are able to pay the full fee then a portion of it will go to provide scholarships and other services (clothing, food, transportation, lodging, etc.) for survivors of sexual trauma. 
Every one of these approaches is essential and enables us to offer care for as many individuals as possible, based on the funds we receive.