Megan Gasink Dooley

Great to meet you!! My name is Megan Gasink Dooley, and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia. I was first licensed in Ohio in 2006, which I consider the beginning of my professional work in the field. I draw on a range of therapeutic approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Solution-Focused Therapy. I tailor our work to your needs and goals.

Several people have shaped my career. One of the earliest was Kim Csabi, Head Trainer at Daytona Beach State College, where I began working with athletes as a student athletic trainer in 2000. Kim helped me understand the role of sports psychology and introduced me to an idea that has stayed with me: “The game is won in your mind long before you get to the court or field.” Later, as a Florida Gator earning my Bachelor of Science, I continued exploring the connections among the mind, body, and personal well-being—connections that also deepened my faith.

Each of us sees the world through the lens of our own experiences. I help people who feel weighed down by trauma, anxiety, grief, dissociation, or other difficult life experiences make sense of what they’re going through and find a steadier path forward. Reaching out for therapy can take courage; you don’t have to have everything figured out before we begin.

It’s an honor to walk alongside clients as they work through what feels most distressing. I aim to offer a compassionate, hopeful space where we can move toward healing at a pace that feels manageable.

Clients often describe my style as direct and compassionate. Therapy can bring many emotions, including tears, laughter, and moments of relief. I make time at the end of sessions to reflect, ground, and consider what support you may need afterward.

I want therapy to be a place where you feel heard rather than judged. Together, we can strengthen coping skills, understand patterns that may have helped you survive, and make room for new ways of relating to yourself and others. If faith or spirituality is important to you, we can include it in a way that fits your values and goals for therapy. I bring a warm, collaborative, trauma-informed approach to therapy. We’ll move at a pace that feels manageable and build a foundation of safety and trust before exploring painful experiences. Depending on your needs and preferences, our work may draw on EMDR, parts-informed approaches, DBT skills, expressive arts, and body-based strategies. I’ll work with you to find approaches that feel useful and respectful of your goals.

My clients often say that I have a "direct approach with a foundation in compassion." In session there will be moments of tears, laughter, and overall relief by the end of the session. I am committed to make sure there is containment at the end of every session so that clients can leave session feeling better then when session started.

I want therapy to be a place where you feel heard rather than judged. Together, we can strengthen coping skills, understand patterns that may have helped you survive, and make room for new ways of relating to yourself and others. If faith or spirituality is important to you, we can include it in a way that fits your values and your goals for therapy.