Paula Knighton, LPC

Paula Knighton is a licensed counselor in Virginia with 25 years of professional experience helping people navigate stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma, and interpersonal challenges. As an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), she brings long-standing clinical experience to work on motivation, self-esteem, relationship issues, and other life concerns including depression and grief. Her practice emphasizes practical tools and compassionate support tailored to each person's situation, drawing on evidence-based approaches to address both immediate symptoms and longer-term patterns.

She cultivates an open, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore difficult thoughts and feelings at their own pace. Paula views the decision to begin therapy as a courageous step and focuses on supporting clients through change with steady guidance and collaborative planning. Her scope of work includes a wide range of issues such as parenting, career transitions, addictions, trauma and abuse, sleep difficulties, anger, and coping with life changes.

Her typical work schedule is Monday through Thursday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Friday from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and Saturday at 10:00 am; she may add two additional Saturday slots if needed. If a client is 15 minutes late for a scheduled session, they should plan to reschedule.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients clarify their values and take action toward a meaningful life even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present. It emphasizes psychological flexibility and can be useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with chronic stress or life transitions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. CBT provides practical strategies to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties, and to address patterns that contribute to relationship and work problems.

Client-Centered Therapy centers on creating a respectful, empathetic space where clients lead the conversation and explore their own goals. This approach supports self-esteem, interpersonal growth, and recovery from trauma by prioritizing the client's experience and pace.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process; Paula will collaborate with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Online therapy with Paula is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for scheduling, reduced travel time, and the ability to access support from home or other convenient locations.