Poythress Mitchell , LPC

Poythress Mitchell is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Virginia with 27 years of experience in the mental health field. She has provided care across a range of settings including residential programs, case management, outpatient clinics, in-home services, and addiction treatment, bringing a broad perspective to clinical work and a practical understanding of complex life challenges.

Poythress blends experience and clinical training to help clients move toward healing and greater well-being. Her approach is warm, compassionate, direct, and non-judgmental, creating a space where individuals and families can identify concerns, set realistic goals, and develop coping strategies. She focuses on clear evaluation of mental stressors and substance use, collaborative treatment planning, and teaching stress management and coping skills to support lasting change.

She works with a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, stress, trauma and PTSD, addictions, anger, grief, relationship and parenting issues, self-esteem, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and matters related to adoption, aging, blended families, caregiving, and veteran issues. Poythress also offers guidance around career challenges and supports LGBT clients.

Poythress holds a Master of Arts (MA) from Norfolk State University. She is credentialed as a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) and a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC). She is a Human Service Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP) and has training in Contemporary Theory in Couple and Family Systems. The LPC credential indicates licensure to practice professional counseling in Virginia. These qualifications inform her client-centered work and her use of evidence-based techniques to help clients create practical, individualized solutions.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Poythress Mitchell integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) into her practice. Client-centered therapy focuses on building a respectful, empathetic relationship so clients can explore their values and make choices that feel authentic; it is often helpful for self-esteem, relationship concerns, and life transitions. CBT targets the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors by teaching practical skills to reduce anxiety, manage depression, and change unhelpful patterns. DBT combines acceptance and change strategies and includes skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, which can be especially useful for intense emotions, anger management, and relationship difficulties.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Poythress works with clients to assess needs, priorities, and preferences, and then tailors methods from these therapies to form a treatment plan that fits each person’s goals.

Online therapy offers flexibility in how care is delivered - through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging - making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, access support from home, and maintain continuity of care. Licensed professionals can adapt these therapeutic methods to remote formats so clients can continue skill-building and receive guidance in ways that suit their daily life.