Tara Kreider

Being human is hard. I affirm your effort to care for yourself by seeking the support of a therapist. With me, you can show up exactly as you are, whatever you are feeling, and know that I will provide a safe, comfortable, and accepting space to experience it without judgment.

My work draws from relational, emotion-focused, attachment, mind-body, and psychodynamic psychotherapies, with Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) as my primary method. AEDP stems from research on attachment, emotion, neuroscience, and human transformance. I take a gentle, experiential, trauma-informed approach that cultivates mindfulness and promotes resilience, relief from troubling symptoms, effective coping skills, and transformation in your relationship to yourself and with others.

Therapeutic art and writing, body-based therapy, and mindfulness practice may be part of our work. I tailor therapy to your interests, needs, and preferences.

Some of my guiding principles

• All people have a natural impulse toward health and healing that strengthens when it is supported and nurtured.
• Therapy is collaborative, not forceful.
• When we step out of autopilot we gain more freedom, choice, and often relief.
• Therapy, like life, does not happen in a bubble. Our cultural factors are inseparable from our experiences in the world.
• All people deserve the same safe, accepting, and compassionate therapy experiences, regardless of race, sexual orientation, age, religion, size, gender identity, and physical ability.

• Late-diagnosed autism in adults
• ADHD
• Relationship struggles and communication skills
• Complex and developmental trauma
• Religious trauma
• Difficult family dynamics
• Anxiety
• Depression and mood issues
• Self-esteem and self-acceptance
• Grief and loss
• Life transitions
• Stress, including work stress

My approach to therapy

Through experience, I have come to believe that people can not only reduce their symptoms, but heal and thrive. Our conversations will be compassionate explorations of your emotions, somatic experiences, and formative experiences, with a focus on your strengths.

I have been a counselor since earning my master’s degree in counseling from Eastern Mennonite University in 2011, and I have worked with people across a wide range of ages and settings. Today my practice is devoted to adults, and I see them one on one, online.

My work is relational, attachment-based, and trauma-informed, and it is rooted in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), in which I am certified at Level II. I also bring in somatic and nervous system work, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems. Sessions are gentle and collaborative. They are experiential and emotion-focused, built around safety, self-compassion, and the strengths you already have.

I especially enjoy working with neurodivergent, highly sensitive, and autistic adults, and with people healing from trauma, anxiety, and low self-esteem. I am an affirming therapist for LGBTQ+ clients and a committed ally in racial justice.

Credentials

• Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia (LPC #0701008677)
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York (LMHC #005823)
• Nationally Certified Counselor
• AEDP Level II certification (2019)
• Certified in Somatic Attachment Therapy and Somatic Trauma Therapy
• Clinical Trauma Professional
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist

How do I know if I need to see a therapist?

The choice to start seeing a therapist is a personal one. It can be intimidating to step out and ask for help. But many people find that the risks are soon outweighed by the relief they feel after consulting a professional. If you are feeling significant distress, it impacts your daily life, you’re unable to find relief on your own, or you lack a sufficient support system, I encourage you to reach out now.

How is psychotherapy more beneficial than talking to a friend or family member?

It is wonderful to be able to share your feelings and struggles with a friend or family member who you trust! However, certain issues may be outside of the scope of a friend’s or family member’s ability to help. A trained professional therapist has developed skill and understanding in the techniques needed to support healing and change. Friends are not bound by the standards that professional counselors follow, and often take your side, which can create problems. Seeking the expertise and empathetic support from a professional counselor provides the guidance and insight you might need to develop an understanding of your situation and what you need to make an impactful change.