I am a Richmond-based licensed professional counselor with more than 20-years of experience working with individuals and families in community mental health settings and the military. As a proud military retiree, I have a passion for military members and understand their unique culture and stressors. I have worked extensively with individuals with developmental disabilities and physical disabilities. I am passionate about helping people work through challenging life issues that have been impacted by trauma, marginalization, and lack of autonomy. I have experience with depression, PTSD, anxiety, attachment issues, chronic stress, and ADHD. I have been trained extensively in Somatic Experiencing (SE), which is a trauma modality that supports the gentle release of bound trauma in the nervous system. Through body-based interventions, I can support and release nervous system patterning to assist in resolving symptoms of trauma. SE is effective for the treatment of chronic stress and pain, anxiety, hypervigilance, depression, ADHD, early attachment problems, and body awareness. I am also skilled with using bottom-up regulation strategies using expressive arts and play to assist with issues that are more prone to be relieved through right brain processes, versus traditional cognitive models of therapy. I have a sincere belief that therapy is a guide to be used to help the individual reach the answers to their own healing and I gain satisfaction in partnering in the journey toward that healing and self-discovery.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

In your first session with me, you can expect a welcoming and comfortable environment where my primary focus is on helping you feel at ease. This initial meeting is all about you—what brought you to therapy, what you’re hoping to achieve, and how we can work together to reach those goals. I approach our conversation with genuine curiosity, eager to understand who you are, what you’ve been through, and where you want to go. This is not just a routine intake; it’s a meaningful dialogue where I listen deeply to your story and explore with you how therapy can best support your journey. We’ll discuss your experiences, challenges, and aspirations, and I’ll share how I can guide you through strategies that help you regulate your nervous system and expand your capacity to handle life’s challenges. Whether through body-based practices, creative expression, or other therapeutic methods, my goal is to tailor our work to suit your unique needs and goals. By the end of our first session, you’ll have a clearer sense of what therapy with me will look like, and hopefully, you’ll feel more confident and hopeful about the path ahead.

What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?

I am skilled in CBT, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, and expressive arts and am currently working on my play therapy certification.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I believe that you set the tone for your therapy and I am your guide to achieve a better sense of self and wholeness. I am very adept at teaching you strategies to help you regulate your nervous system and expand your window of tolerance so that you cope better and function better. I love to integrate body-based strategies and the use of arts as an expressive modality to assist in your healing.

About Dr. Cynthia Minto, PhD, LPC, SEP