Hannah Phillips Hale

My name is Hannah Phillips Hale. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia, as well as a Registered Art Therapist, currently working toward Art Therapy Board Certification. I am also currently working on my Infant Mental Health certification, as I spent a great deal of professional time focusing on early child development and the dynamics of family interactions. Though I have been licensed since only 2019, I have over 16 years of experience in the mental health field. I have worked with individuals of various ages (pregnant mothers and their unborn children, children from birth on and their caretakers, adolescents, teenagers, parents, older individuals), families and couples in a variety of settings (in-home, in office/outpatient, schools, community programs, and more). I strive to approach others with curiosity and an opportunity to learn while also teaching. I see the therapeutic relationship as a kind of partnership, where both you and I work together to collaborate and determine what is or isn’t working, and what goals are most appropriate for now or for the future. By using a simplistic approach and focusing on the present moment, we often find confidence and motivation more easily, in order to achieve that “low hanging fruit” of achievable goals. Then, we can also address the big picture with further focus on the small and important details. It is about the process rather than the product. This is the phrase that I like to reference, in regards to our life experiences and within therapy/counseling experiences. As we work toward healing, we often want to find a solution or an answer. Oftentimes, the solutions or answers arise during the process of experiencing and learning. I hope to offer this process of discovery to you, through various therapeutic techniques, and especially through Art Therapy. One does not have to be an artist or have any experience making art, in order to be able to benefit from Art Therapy techniques. In my work, I utilize creative and expressive techniques with clients in order to support a sense of exploration, discovery, and the power that comes with creating. Other approaches and methods that are used in my work include Person-Centered, Supportive and Motivational Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused, Humanistic/Existential, Mindfulness Based techniques, Psychodynamic Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Family Systems Therapy. Much of my time in the field has focused on working alongside individuals who are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, lack of purpose or motivation, low self-esteem/self-concept, managing life changes or stagnancy, and relationship issues/communication challenges. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is a powerful tool that can be used both in the counseling experience itself and also in other relationships, as our interactions and learning opportunities ripple out to impact us in other environments and situations. I look forward to potentially meeting you, learning about you, and working to support you, as we move forward in this life!