Paula Knighton

Paula Knighton is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Virginia with 25 years of experience. She focuses on practical steps that help people manage stress, anxiety, addiction, depression, and career concerns. Paula listens without judgment and helps clients find what matters to them in day-to-day life.

She creates a calm space where clients can talk about trauma, relationship problems, grief, or struggles with motivation and self-esteem. Sessions are grounded in real conversations and clear goals rather than jargon. Paula uses approaches that help people notice thoughts, change unhelpful patterns, and build healthier habits.

Paula blends methods from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Client-Centered Therapy. That mix lets her shift between talking through emotions, working on behaviors, and focusing on values-based action depending on what a person needs. She also brings elements of Emotionally-Focused Therapy and Motivational Interviewing when they fit the goals.

Over her career she has helped people facing chronic health problems, life transitions, compassion fatigue, parenting challenges, and relationship strain. She also works with addictions, bipolar mood concerns, OCD patterns, and first responder issues. Her style is patient, practical, and focused on small changes that add up.

Appointments are scheduled around set weekly hours including evenings and a Saturday morning slot. If a client is more than 15 minutes late, the session will need to be rescheduled. To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a time that works for them.

Approaches that translate well to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice their thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that match their values. It is useful for anxiety, stress, and motivation struggles. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like depression, worry, and insomnia. Client-Centered Therapy centers the conversation on the person's experience, using empathic listening to help them find their own solutions and build self-trust.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Paula will talk with each person about goals and preferences, then suggest a mix of methods that seem likely to help. She checks in as work progresses and adjusts the plan when needed so the approach stays useful and relevant.

Confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online therapy can make scheduling easier and help therapy fit into busy routines: it can reduce travel time, allow evening or weekend appointments, and make it simpler to attend from work breaks or between errands. Some formats may work better for shorter check-ins or when video is not convenient, so discuss practical needs when arranging sessions.