Hilltop Counseling

10/24/2025

Hilltop Counseling was proud to be a gold sponsor of the Abby Furco Memorial Color Run, which had over 350 participants (most ever), 130 student & adult volunteers, 100% funded by incredible community sponsors, raising $11,602 and counting with goal of $12,000. It was a magical gathering of community, friends, family and strangers gathering together with the common mission of fighting childhood cancer.

10/15/2025

Zaria Harrison, Resident in Counseling is accepting new clients and has a few rare after-school appointments available.

Zaria Harrison is a Resident in Counseling with a Master’s in Counseling from Old Dominion University. She specializes in trauma-based therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), emotion-focused therapy, and person-centered therapy. Although her primary focus is on children and adolescents, Zaria is experienced in working with individuals of all ages, including those dealing with anxiety, depression, familial trauma, ADHD, and LGBTQ youth and families.

She focuses on body and sex-positivity as well as LGBTQIA+-affirming counseling practices. She further maintains a strong interest in mindfulness, meditation, and sexuality counseling. Zaria is dedicated to fostering a compassionate and inclusive environment for her clients. She welcomes opportunities to connect and collaborate on achieving personal growth and well-being.

Please call our office at 757-371-2700 to schedule an appointment with Zaria Harrison, Resident in Counseling.

10/07/2025

10/03/2025

Katrina Askew, Resident in Counseling, is one of five therapists at Hilltop Counseling with advanced training in the Gottman Method of couples therapy. Katrina Askew holds a Master’s Degree in Marriage, Family, and Couples Counseling.

Katrina is passionate about supporting marriage and family relationships, parent-child dynamics, women’s issues, teen empowerment and self-esteem, the adolescent/young adult Autism community, and members of the Armed Forces.

She has experience providing psychotherapy for a wide range of concerns, including adjustment disorders, anxiety, attachment issues, depression, grief and loss, relationship challenges, self-esteem, social skills, spiritual concerns, and trauma.

Katrina offers a person-centered, empathetic approach to therapy and believes in fostering positive change for individuals, couples, and families. Her goal is to empower clients to regain control of their lives while providing supportive strategies that promote transformation and growth in both their personal lives and relationships.

10/01/2025

Hilltop Counseling is committed to serving the perinatal community. If we can support your journey, we have three therapists who are certified in perinatal mental health and provide training to all of our staff in working with this population. Many of us have been there ourselves, putting us in a unique place to support and understand parents of all stages.

09/29/2025

Hilltop Counseling is excited to announce that Emmy Ray, LCSW is back in our Hilltop office. Emmy is as seasoned therapist who is trained in EMDR and also has a background in couples counseling as well as substance abuse counseling. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with Emmy or one of our other providers, please call our office at 757-371-2700 or email admin@hilltopcounselingva.com .

09/25/2025

So thankful for the amazing therapists we have at Hilltop Counseling and around the globe!

💙 Today is National Psychotherapy Day — a reminder of the courage it takes to seek help and the healing power of therapy. Therapists, counselors, and coaches do incredible work supporting people through life’s challenges, and today we celebrate the impact they make every single day.

At Billing by Jenn, I’m honored to partner with dedicated providers—LMFTs, LCSWs, PhDs, AASECTs, life coaches, and associates—so they can focus on what matters most: caring for their clients.

Here’s to the helpers who change lives, one session at a time. 🪞✨

09/24/2025

Hilltop Counseling currently has four therapists trained in ERP, Susan Rodriguez, Brooke Massenburg, Lauren Chester, and Lauren Malpass.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is considered the gold standard treatment for OCD and is used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders. The core principle of ERP is to directly confront fears and obsessions (exposure) while simultaneously preventing the individual from engaging in their typical compulsive behaviors or rituals (response prevention). Through repeated exposure without engaging in compulsions, the individual learns several key things:

Their anxiety naturally decreases over time, even without performing rituals (habituation).

The feared outcomes they anticipate often do not occur.

They can tolerate distress and uncertainty without resorting to compulsions.

They develop new coping mechanisms and a greater sense of control over their thoughts and feelings.

To book an appointment with one of our ERP trained therapists, please reach out to 757-371-2700 or admin@hilltopcounselingva.com.

09/24/2025

Let's stop saying, "Man up." We have to work together to shift the narrative around what it means to be a man. It doesn't mean suppressing feelings or not showing emotions.

How can we create more safety around Black men and their mental health?





Repost: .

09/11/2025

Join us in welcoming Samantha Shannon to Hilltop Counseling. After 13 years as a high school counselor in Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, she returned to graduate school at Capella University, where she is completing the requirements needed to begin her residency in counseling.

Samantha brings a supportive, empathic, and instinctual helping nature to her counseling practice. As a practicing yogi, she receives coaching in breathing, meditation, mindfulness, and body posture techniques to incorporate into her practice. Additionally, Samantha is actively training in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), and the use of music and cinema as chronological counseling tools. As a best-selling author of children's picture books, her socio-emotional resources are part of the VBCPS counseling program and found in counseling offices worldwide.

09/10/2025

It's 💙

Today, we honor those we've lost and share resources to support those who are struggling. It's okay to reach out for help. You're never alone.

The 988 Lifeline is available 24/7 across the U.S. Call, text, or chat 988 to connect with a skilled, compassionate counselor. For more resources, visit 988lifeline.org.

09/13/2024

Nicole Drozd, LCSW has been a welcome addition to our Haygood office! Nicole is a Music Therapist with a Bachelor’s of Music and a Master’s of Science in Music Therapy, practicing since 2011. She also holds a Master’s of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. Integrating traditional talk therapy with experiential therapies, Nicole creates a safe, transformative space for clients to initiate and sustain change in their lives. Nicole is board-certified in Music Therapy and a Social Work supervisee.

She is trained in the psychological assessment tool, Circles of the Self, and is currently working toward becoming a Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM) fellow. Her therapeutic approach includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Existential Therapy, and Humanistic Therapy. Nicole aims to empower clients to discover healing and balance, supporting them on their journey to wholeness.