Traditional counseling approaches can feel outdated. 

Simply listening, nodding, and affirming doesn’t cut it anymore.

By the time you come into my office, you’ve likely had it. My goal is to help you break free from old, dysfunctional patterns with guidance and data-driven psycho-educational tools. Together, we’ll work to create change—not just during sessions but in your daily life where it really matters.

Confusion & Exhaustion? Conflict & Numbness? Anxiety & Sadness?

" Anne McKay is amazing... She tells you what you need to hear. She really helped me and my partner pull through a really difficult time when we were on the cusp of splitting up and helped us realize where we were both falling short with each other and with ourselves. The tools she gave us still help  us work through conflict today." - Facebook, December 2024

"As she always tells us, your life is not a dress rehearsal. It's real, and each day matters!" – Google Review GT & VT, 2023

"So glad I found a highly-experienced therapist who 'gets it' and gets to results fast." – Google Review. JM, 2023

"She’ll tell you what your friends won’t... that’s what makes your time and money well-spent." – Google Review AR, 2020

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Good News: You’re in the Right Place!

Counseling is a professional relationship, and it’s crucial that we “click” for it to work. Finding the right connection is essential before starting this important journey. That’s why I offer a free introductory "Meet-and-Greet" Consultation, where you can:

• Share what has you feeling stuck.
• Learn about my counseling practice style and approach.
• Ask questions to gain confidence in the process.
• Decide together if working with me makes the most sense for you.

I’m a lifelong DC Metro area native with significant educational training and over 20+ years of professional counseling training, experience, and prominent industry leadership roles: 

Education: 

• BA, University of Vermont (Psychology)
• MA, Marymount University (Counseling, Magna Cum Laude)
• Sidwell Friends School

Current Active Credentials & Board Positions:

• Vice President Board of Directors, NVLPC Association / AMCHA State Representative
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC)
• Clinically Certified Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC)
• Board Certified Clinical Supervisor (LPC-S)
• Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
• Board Certified Telemental Health Provider (BC-TMH)

In-Office & Virtual Sessions

• Monday – Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Conveniently located across from the Reston Hospital campus.

 | Individual Counseling Support |

Anxiety | Depression | Trauma | Career | Social Skills

• Process feelings and learn life skills to move forward with clarity and confidence.
• Heal from unhealthy relationships, trauma, or challenging life events.
• Overcome perfectionism, codependency, family dynamics, stress, and anxiety.
• Navigate life’s pressures while maintaining balance:
  • Stay connected with your community and loved ones.
  • Prioritize health—mind, body, and spirit.
  • Carve out time for yourself and meaningful activities.
• Break cycles of damage caused by life’s wounds, grieve healthily, and move on with peace and joy.

| Couples Counseling |

Dating | Co-Habitating | Marital | 

• Learn key skills to create, sustain, and repair romantic and family relationships.
• Heal from relational failures, including infidelity and trust issues.
• Identify and address relationship needs, balance of power, and accountability.
• Balance the complexities of a dual-career household (72% of U.S. homes, Census 2019) while maintaining connection and joy at home.
• Support couples, families, and parents through life transitions:
  • Navigate the challenges of new parenthood (average first baby at 26.6, CDC 2016).

| Discernment "On-the-Brink" Couples Counseling |

Are you or your partner considering divorce but feeling unsure?

Discernment Counseling is a short-term, crisis counseling  specialized approach designed for couples where:

• Partners are in relational crisis ...
  • One partner is leaning toward divorce.
  • The other partner wants to preserve the marriage.

Unlike traditional couples counseling, Discernment Counseling is an intense highly-accelerated process which focuses on helping you both decide whether to:

• Work toward repairing your relationship.
• Move toward separation or divorce with clarity and mutual understanding.

What You’ll Gain:

• Clarity about your relationship dynamics.
• Exploration of your issues from three perspectives: yours, your partner’s, and a professional’s objective view.
• Confidence in making an informed decision about the future of your marriage.

Discernment Counseling typically involves 1–5 sessions double sessions (90 mins), including both joint and individual conversations. It provides a structured space to evaluate whether your issues can be resolved or if moving on is the best path forward.

| Collaborative Divorce & Blended Families |

Proactive Positive Divorce | Co-Parenting | Blended Families

• Approach divorce with mutual understanding, respect, and forgiveness.
• Co-parent effectively, allowing children to move forward without guilt, shame, or manipulation.
• Navigate the joys and challenges of blended families (16% of U.S. households, Pew 2019):
  • Manage differing parenting styles and complex logistics.
  • Build a successful blended family that breaks cycles of hurt for future generations.

| Family Dynamics & Parenting |

• Stay connected with your growing kids—even teenagers!
• Learn to coach and guide them safely while allowing room for exploration and growth.
• Help your kids (and yourself) launch into the adult world with confidence and resilience.

| Trauma, Chronic Illness, and Grief |

Trauma | Chronic Illness | Grief & Loss

• Cope with the emotional toll of accidents, illnesses, or life-changing events (6 out of 10 U.S. adults live with at least one chronic disease, CDC 2019).
• Learn to grieve in a healthy way and move forward with acceptance, joy, and peace.
• Develop resilience and tools to navigate life’s challenges while caring for yourself and your loved ones.

Whether you’re seeking individual growth, stronger relationships, or healing from life’s toughest challenges, I’m here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s work together to help you create the life you deserve.