What’s a session like?
My Approach to Counseling
My Approach to Counseling
Psychotherapy, or counseling, sessions typically last about 50 minutes, and involve you sharing what is happening in your heart, and what you would like help with. We will begin your first session with some questions, and I will likely send you a form to get some autobiographical information about you before we meet for the first time.
Psychotherapy, or counseling, sessions typically last about 50 minutes, and involve you sharing what is happening in your heart, and what you would like help with. We will begin your first session with some questions, and I will likely send you a form to get some autobiographical information about you before we meet for the first time. In our first session, we will spend most of the time getting to know one another, and then will stop about 15 minutes before the end of the session, so we can set up a schedule to meet, and discuss fees, insurance, etc.
My Approach to Counseling
My Approach to Counseling
My Approach to Counseling
I believe that healing is a co-created experience, and that you only get out of therapy as much as you put in.
I tend to focus on empathetic, active interventions to help you get to the root of what brought you to counseling. A session with me may involve "just talking" about what is happening in your life, but it also may involve role-
I believe that healing is a co-created experience, and that you only get out of therapy as much as you put in.
I tend to focus on empathetic, active interventions to help you get to the root of what brought you to counseling. A session with me may involve "just talking" about what is happening in your life, but it also may involve role-playing, getting out of your chair and moving or body centered mindfulness to help you tune into where your mind, body, emotions and spirit meet.
My Background
My Approach to Counseling
My Background
I have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1993, and have worked in the mental health and crisis counseling field since 1983. I’ve worked in many counseling settings over the years including working with adolescent runaways, elders with healthcare issues, in community mental health, with the seriously mentally ill, grief couns
I have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1993, and have worked in the mental health and crisis counseling field since 1983. I’ve worked in many counseling settings over the years including working with adolescent runaways, elders with healthcare issues, in community mental health, with the seriously mentally ill, grief counseling, suicide prevention and dealing with trauma.
In addition to specializing in work on the issues of grief and loss, I have trained extensively in the use of creative arts therapy (psychodrama) in counseling, and additional training in working with trauma.
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Florida State University and my Master's degree in Social Work from The Catholic University of America.
Some of my continued training after my degree included a post-master’s year of training at the St. Elizabeth's Hospital Creative Arts therapy program, and several years of training in trauma work with the staff of the Elisabeth Kubler Ross Center.
I am also a Level 2 practitioner of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and a nationally Certified Practitioner of Psychodrama and group psychotherapy by the American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy.
In addition to counseling, I have a deep love of helping new counselors develop their skills, and I have supervised many therapists toward licensure since 2001. I have also enjoyed teaching Psychology and Clinical Social Work as an adjunct professor at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Find out more
Office Information
Clinical Supervision
Office Information
Carey Gauzens, LCSW
Office address: 8009 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, VA 22308
Insurance and Fees
Clinical Supervision
Office Information
I am out of network with all insurances, but can give you a detailed receipt which will have all of the information necessary to submit our visit to your insurance provider for reimbursement if you have a PPO insurance plan. Unfortunately HMO’s will not cover my services.
For those with financial difficulties, or whose insurance will not reimburse for sessions, I am open to discussing a sliding fee scale, ranging between $100 and $200, depending on financial situation.
Clinical Supervision
Clinical Supervision
Pastor Consultations and Clergy Fitness Evaluations
I have been a certified supervisor for experienced psychotherapists and for MSW’s seeking their licensures since 2001. I will happily discuss individual or group supervision with you upon request. I am hoping in 2025 to begin an interactive supervision group, using psychodrama to help people working in mental health to increase and refine their skills, especially with complex situations..
Pastor Consultations and Clergy Fitness Evaluations
Pastor Consultations and Clergy Fitness Evaluations
Pastor Consultations and Clergy Fitness Evaluations
In 2006, through the Center for Pastoral Counseling of Virginia, I developed and implemented a Clergy Fitness Evaluation program, and have been providing clergy screening since that time.
The program originated at Center for Pastoral Counseling of Virginia twenty years ago now continues under Carey Gauzens, LCSW, LLC, with the same staff. Our evaluation team has completed ordination screenings on prospective members of nearly every protestant denomination, for judicatories throughout the country, from the metro DC area to California.
If you need a clergy evaluation, or your organization is looking for an organization to provide clergy screening evaluations, please contact me directly for more information.
As a prior pastoral counselor, working with those from multiple faith orientations for the past 24 years, I also have extensive experience working with clergy referred for problematic behavior, or self-referring to deal with issues related to their pastoral work.
I am available to consult with pastors and church staffs about issues within the pastoral team or within congregations upon request.
Group Facilitation
Pastor Consultations and Clergy Fitness Evaluations
Educational Opportunities
I am available to facilitate group psychodrama experiences upon reequest. I do not current have any psychotherapy or support groups, but I hope to begin an action oriented psychodrama group in the future. If you have interest, please let me know.
Educational Opportunities
Pastor Consultations and Clergy Fitness Evaluations
Educational Opportunities
I happily speak at community or church events, and can provide group facilitation for staffs or organizations looking for more information about mental health, grief and loss or how to relate to one another better. I am also available for as needed emergency consultations when a crisis has occurred in an organization.