Therapy | Lori A. Bristow, PhD

Learn meaningful ways of reconnecting to yourself & others

In my evolving professional life over the last 14 years, I have combined therapeutic orientations that focus on addressing patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that lend insight and understanding to one’s present challenges or distress. When we were younger, how we learned to respond to the world around us might have had tremendous benefit to help us survive and move forward; now as adults, one may feel limited by repetitive emotional responses or thought processes and inflexible copying styles. Seeking therapy now may come at a time in your life when your relationships are struggling or have failed, you may feel a need for change but do not know where to start, or your sense of self is being challenged by emotional hardships.

Psychotherapy has many ways of helping us address and change unsatisfying outcomes in our lives. By identifying our own patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that might often frustrate or discourage us, we can then take steps towards change. Psychotherapy is designed to provide safety, structure, routine, and reliability when individuals are often feeling anchorless, confused, or afraid. I believe that people sometimes come to therapy looking for symptom relief (e.g., alleviate depressive symptoms, alleviate anxiety), and learn through therapy that they also have the right to grow, thrive, and enjoy life (e.g., seek joy, happiness, and satisfaction).

We might be a good fit in therapy if you are experiencing any of the following:

Relationship difficulties or dissatisfaction
Feeling overwhelmed
Later in life identification with, or diagnosis of, ADHD, and/or identification with AuDHD or neurodivergent traits.
Living with highly sensitive traits
Spiritual and existential questions
Struggling with loss or grief
Feeling stuck or frustrated
Family difficulties
Career changes
Separation or Divorce
Healing from relational betrayal, trauma, or abuse
Challenges that come from navigating various transitions and changes in life.

“I enjoy helping individuals identify what has interfered with their happiness and move forward in their lives by enhancing and encouraging their strengths and natural gifts.” ~ Lori Bristow, PhD

I have found that a customized approach to therapy for each individual works best, and I often blend psychodynamic, cognitive, and relational psychology theories and approaches to help individuals achieve their goals in therapy and expand their self-awareness.

I offer a free phone consultation to help you explore how well we might work together. If another therapist may better serve you, I’m happy to provide referrals and recommendations for trusted colleagues in our DMV area or in the state you reside.

About Telemedicine Sessions

In 2020, my practice transitioned entirely to remote sessions via technology. Using a secure video teleconferencing (VTC) platform, we join in to a session together and talk privately. Phone sessions are also available for individuals who prefer to speak only by phone, who are not comfortable using VTC, or do not have access to WiFi or steady internet connection.

Telemedicine/Teletherapy/Telepsychology are terms used to describe the increased accessibility and flexibility in receiving psychological services through the use of mobile technology (laptop, phone, or tablet) or phone. To learn more if teletherapy could be a good fit for you, please explore these articles:

Online Therapy and Telehealth. published by Good Therapy.org

What Are Telehealth and Telepsychology? published by the American Psychological Association

Telehealth Benefits: How to Maximize Your Virtual Visit. published by Psychology Today

Notice to all clients regarding your bill for services:

The “No Surprises Act (NSA)” was passed in December 2021 and went into effect beginning January 1, 2022. What does this mean for you?

This act passed by Congress is a law stating your right to receive a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) of costs/fees associated with the services you receive from this practice or any healthcare provider and it is intended to protect you from unexpected out-of-network bills for healthcare. You have a right to receive a GFE in writing and orally when requested and when scheduling a new appointment with this practice.