Rickey Bates

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience in trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, and long-term psychotherapy. I work primarily with adults navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, identity concerns, and the lasting impact of trauma.

My professional background includes service in military and veteran-support settings, as well as work in community mental health, medical and hospital-based environments, and outpatient therapy. This breadth of experience allows me to support clients across a wide range of life circumstances—from acute stress and major transitions to deeper, long-term personal growth.

My practice is grounded in a collaborative, nonjudgmental approach that integrates evidence-based and relational therapies. I believe therapy works best when clients feel supported, understood, and appropriately challenged, with the goal of not just symptom relief, but meaningful, lasting change in how clients relate to themselves and others.

My approach to therapy is collaborative, trauma-informed, and grounded in understanding the whole person within their life context. I integrate evidence-based practices such as attachment-based work, cognitive-behavioral strategies, and relational therapy, tailoring treatment to each client’s needs and goals.

I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, identity concerns, and major life transitions. I emphasize both insight and skill-building—helping clients understand patterns shaped by past experiences while also developing practical tools for emotional regulation, communication, and healthier relationships.

I believe therapy works best when clients feel supported, understood, and appropriately challenged. My goal is to help clients not only feel better, but create meaningful, sustainable change in how they relate to themselves and others.

In your first session, we’ll focus on getting to know each other and discussing what brings you to therapy. I’ll ask questions about your background, current concerns, and what you hope to gain from treatment, while also leaving space for whatever feels most important to you.

I strive to create a calm, respectful, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe to be honest and curious about their experiences. The first session is not about fixing everything at once, but about building rapport, clarifying goals, and determining whether we’re a good fit for working together.

By the end of the session, clients typically leave with a clearer understanding of the therapy process, an initial sense of focus or direction, and next steps for treatment moving forward.