Rebecca Houvener, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (VA - 0810005373),
Practice Owner, Clinical Director
Director of Assessment & Student Training

(Not accepting new patients at this time)

I thoroughly enjoy being a psychologist! One of my favorite things is helping people feel empowered to make the changes they believe are necessary in their life. As a testing psychologist in particular, my niche in assessing personality disorders started early in my career, as I frequently found myself acting as a consultant to colleagues and receiving referrals for evaluations that were especially complex. I find this work quite meaningful and enjoy helping clients put diagnostic pieces together that inform the rest of their treatment. I assess teens and adults for emerging personality traits/disorders and evaluate ages 6 and older in cognitive, intellectual, behavioral, trauma, and mood concerns. In therapy, I especially enjoy walking alongside clients on their developmental journey with regards to faith identity, sexual identity, gender identity, and personality. In this setting, I primarily work with college-aged individuals and adults.

Education, Experience, & Certifications: I received my Psy.D. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Regent University and my B.S. in Psychology from Indiana Wesleyan University. While in graduate school, I held leadership positions at the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity. There, I had the opportunity to take part in multiple research studies investigating the intersection of faith and sexual and gender identity development. I have also served as a local and international keynote speaker on such topics in both faith-based and secular settings.

My postgraduate clinical experience involves the generation of Quest Psychological and Counseling Service in 2017, which has become highly regarded for comprehensive psychological evaluations and testing. More specifically, I have extensive experience in diagnosing complex and co-occurring conditions, especially personality disorders (e.g. Borderline, Dependent, Histrionic, Paranoid, Schizoid, Avoidant, Schizotypal). Other disorders I assess are: trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); mood (e.g. Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, Social Anxiety, Adjustment Disorder), eating disorders (e.g. Anorexia, Bulimia, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: ARFID, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder: OSFED); and thought disorders (e.g. Schizoaffective, Schizophrenia). As a therapist, my experience includes treating teens and adults in relationship challenges, life adjustments, stress, anxiety and depression, and sexual and gender identity and faith.

Lastly, I also have my Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT #5949), granted by the PSYPACT Commission on 01/11/2021, which allows me to treat patients in PSYPACT participating states.*

*PSYPACT is an interstate compact which offers a voluntary expedited pathway to qualified psychologists who wish to practice in multiple states. PSYPACT is designed to facilitate the practice of telepsychology and the temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology across state boundaries. In order to practice telepsychology in PSYPACT states, psychologists licensed in PSYPACT states only, can apply to the PSYPACT Commission for an Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT). The PSYPACT Commission is the governing body of PSYPACT and is comprised of one representative from each PSYPACT state. More information regarding PSYPACT and its requirements can be found at www.psypact.org.

Clinical Orientation: My therapeutic and conceptual framework is multi-faceted. While taking a primarily client-centered and cognitive behavioral approach (CBT), I also utilize some skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and psychodynamic therapy to inform treatment. As such, I believe that people are affected by their thoughts, which often lead to specific behavioral patterns and mood states that can be adapted through intentionality, coping skills, and repetition. However, deeper work from a psychodynamic perspective can also be incredibly helpful, as it prompts the client to make connections about the influence of the past on the present. Personality theory also heavily influences my therapeutic work, as I often pull from Enneagram, Millon, and psychoanalytic diagnoses to conceptualize and interpret behavior in its context. As a Christian clinician, integration is also important to me during therapy, as I believe that each person is affected not only by thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, but also biological, social, and spiritual factors. At the client’s discretion, I enjoy integrating the Christian faith into therapy sessions, tailoring treatment to fit the client’s unique journey.