“Struggle invites us to move out of denial and orient ourselves to our actual reality. Not the reality of where we’ve been or where we’d like to be, but where we genuinely find ourselves, for it is there that we may be seen, known, and loved.”
-Claire Lewis, LPC
My Approach
I am a therapist, speaker, and writer. I love to watch people heal and grow, becoming more connected to the fullest and most alive version of themselves. I also love that my work allows me to join people in this process, walking with them through times of struggle. My passion is story work, helping clients understand themselves through a lens of truth and grace, making sense of where they’ve been and where they’re going, and listening together for God's invitation to a life marked by courage and beauty.
Beliefs about Therapy
For me, therapy offers a way to slow down in hard places, to name the particular heartaches of someone’s story while also holding fiercely to the possibility of redemption. If you are reading this as a prospective client, please know that more than anything, my aim is to offer a landing spot in which you might feel seen, known, and encouraged. I use the word encouraged in its truest sense. If, over time, you find courage to try new ways of being in the world and internally with yourself, I would count our work a success.
As a clinician, part of my job is to pace well with you as you discover more of your own dignity, agency, and fullness, but also to support you as you experiment with bringing more of yourself to the relationships and challenges before you. I believe deeply in the power of attuned presence as clients revisit stories of sorrow and trauma as well as goodness and rest. My hope is that whatever you bring to session be met with warmth, curiosity, and wisdom.
Background and Education
My beliefs about people and the change process are both clinically and theologically informed. I hold an undergraduate degree in health communication from James Madison University and a graduate degree in Christian counseling from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary-Charlotte. Providing space for clients to lean upon their faith supports is important to me, as is utilizing all that counseling psychology has to offer. I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in good standing with the Virginia Board of Counseling and adhere to the ACA code of ethics.
Clinical Training and Theoretical Orientation
Occasionally, clients are interested in the particularities of my training and theoretical underpinnings. I have invested a great deal in my professional training, but I also find my own experiences as a spouse, parent, sibling, daughter, friend, church and community member to be valuable contributions to my role as a therapist.
My formal clinical training includes work in a university counseling center as well as inpatient and trauma-informed community mental health settings. In 2016, I completed a residency experience at the Barnabas Center Richmond, whose model, along with attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and a trauma-informed framework, are the primary influences on my beliefs about people and the healing process. I hold a certification as a level 1 AEDP provider, but also utilize psychodynamic, interpersonal, family systems, cognitive behavioral, and narrative therapies in my work with clients.
More than anything, I deeply believe in understanding the uniqueness of the individual before me, and do my best to tailor my approach to each client’s specific needs, goals, and strengths.
Professional Associations
Connection to other local therapists and the larger therapeutic community is important to me. I hope to always be growing as a human and as a clinician. Consequently, I am an active participant in a local peer supervision group and belong to the American Counseling Association (ACA) as well as the Christian Association of Psychological Studies (CAPS).
Lastly, I value the power of relationships and desire to see families, church families, and communities flourish. I care about the well-being of all people and enjoy collaborating with community leaders to find creative ways to make the benefits of counseling and psychological tools available to a wide array of people.
Kind Words
"Claire offered understanding and kindness, which made it easier to be vulnerable in our sessions together. She helped me see connections between seemingly unrelated struggles and highlighted areas where I could make positive changes."
— K.W., former client
"At a very fragile time in my life, I started meeting with Claire, and I know it wasn't by accident. She listened and graciously spoke truth, inviting me to be real with myself and have the courage to continue walking this hard but necessary path of healing."
— S.R., former client
"Claire was always so patient with me during our time together. She helped me find tools to help with my anxiety. By the end of our work, I was truly able to see a difference in the way I reacted to trying situations."