Miriam Matthews , LICSW, LCSW

Miriam Matthews, LICSW and LCSW, is a Virginia-based Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Christian Counselor with more than a decade of clinical experience. The LICSW and LCSW credentials indicate advanced training and authorization to provide clinical social work and psychotherapy, reflecting her years supporting people through complex emotional and behavioral concerns.

Miriam's background spans behavioral health programming, work with the March of Dimes supporting maternal and infant health, Child Protective Services, hospice care, and geriatric health settings. She has advocated for youth, adults, and older adults facing emotional, mental health, and socioeconomic challenges. That varied experience informs her ability to address both cognitive and emotional needs while connecting clients to community resources when appropriate.

Her practice is grounded in motivational interviewing and a client-centered philosophy, and she integrates solution-focused strategies and cognitive-behavioral techniques rooted in current research. Miriam believes in a strengths-based approach and holds a firm conviction that people are capable of change beyond societal labels or life circumstances.

In private practice she helps individuals navigate relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse recovery, self-esteem and identity concerns, depression, anxiety and stress, grief and family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, and life transitions. Additional areas of focus include abandonment, caregiver stress, communication problems, feelings of emptiness, guilt and shame, isolation, life purpose, prejudice and discrimination, self-love, sexual assault and abuse, and women’s issues.

Therapeutic approaches and online access

Miriam Matthews uses client-centered therapy to create a collaborative space where the person's goals and values guide the work; this approach focuses on empathy, active listening, and supporting personal growth, and it is often helpful for relationship issues, self-esteem, and life transitions.

She also utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which examines connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and offers practical strategies to manage anxiety, depression, and stress-related symptoms. Solution-focused therapy is another tool in her toolkit, emphasizing concrete goals and small, achievable steps to move forward when addressing specific problems like communication breakdowns or coping with change.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Miriam works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She adapts techniques over time based on what proves most helpful.

Online therapy with Miriam can take place by video call, phone session, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility to fit therapy into a busy life and to maintain continuity during transitions. These options make it easier to access licensed professionals and consistent support from locations that work for the client.