Anna Costa, LPC

 Anna Costa is a practicing LPC licensed in both the states of North Carolina and Virginia. Anna has worked individually and in groups with adolescents, adults, and families for the past 10 years. Her counseling journey began immediately after graduating with a Bachelors in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and continued as she received her Master’s in Counseling from Wake Forest University.

Fully licensed since the beginning of 2023, Anna’s approach to counseling begins with a person-centered theoretical background, meaning that she believes each person has within their God-given self the tools to grow, change, heal and improve. It is Anna’s goal to assist individuals to access those resources and grow in their personal self-efficacy. This is a process that takes place throughout a lifetime. Self-awareness and self-efficacy, while goals in the counseling relationship, are difficult to achieve and will take time, energy, and client engagement as well as work. As the counseling relationship becomes more effective, clients often feel that they are able to face life’s challenges with the resources in their own possession.

While Anna is trained and rooted in person-centered counseling, she also draws on other counseling theories and techniques in her practice. She has worked in long-term residential therapy, short term environments like schools, and now resides in private practice – which she believes to be a happy medium of the long-term and short-term approaches. Each setting has demanded different sets of tools and clinical frameworks. Because of this, she uses a variety of modalities, from brief solution-focused therapy and motivational interviewing techniques to the deeper, time-intensive family systems perspective in order to identify existing patterns, work to set goals and change targets that clients would like to implement in their lives. Together, Anna and her clients consider obstacles to growth and plan how to reach the desired goals. Cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques are also used as a supplement in her practice. Lastly, Anna has added EMDR – an evidence-based trauma treatment – to her list of tools in working with clients. Together Anna and her clients utilize the necessary tools to help a client with whatever presenting issue/s (e.g. anxiety, depression, relational concerns, attachment, past/present trauma, etc.) they may be entering counseling with.

Because Anna believes that no person exists on an island, common topics in therapy may include a client’s family, how a client came to be the way they are, how clients experience emotions, communication skills, client’s worldview, and more. Sometimes discussing these things can cause clients to feel difficult emotions, and feelings may get worse before they get better. However, in coming to therapy, Anna believes that client’s are taking a brave step in prioritizing their mental health and wellness and will partner to work towards healing. Anna is also excited to incorporate faith and spirituality into the work for those who are comfortable with that approach. Anna strives to bring her whole and authentic self to the counseling relationship in hopes of creating a safe, genuine, and healing space. Anna hopes you will join her!

Outside of counseling, Anna and her husband enjoy getting to know Richmond. They recently moved to the area for Anna’s partner’s medical residency. They are continuing to adjust to life in Virginia and new routines with their baby son born in early 2024. Now a family of four: three humans and one very needy Boxer dog – walks and playing outside are favorite activities for the whole family. They would spend all their time outside if they could. They are thankful for the amazing natural landscape of Richmond and are excited to get to know it more in the coming