Jeff Knighton, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker · Virginia
NPI 1639819865
- Works with
- Teens, adults & seniors
- Modalities
- Person-Centered · EMDR · ERP
About Jeff
Jeff received a BA in Psychology and a JD from the University of Virginia. He spent several years in forensic psychology research, where he saw the effects of trauma. That led to a desire to move from research to the direct treatment of individuals suffering from trauma, and he went on to earn an MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Jeff’s clinical training was completed at VCU’s University Counseling Services, where he provided individual, group, and crisis counseling to undergraduate and graduate students. For several years, he worked in community mental health and jail diversion, providing individual and group therapy to clients facing substance use issues, serious mental illness, PTSD, depression, grief, life transitions, LGBTQIA+ issues, intimate partner/domestic and sexual violence, and anxiety.
“When I have been listened to and when I have been heard, I am able to re-perceive my world in a new way and to go on. It is astonishing how elements that seem insoluble become soluble when someone listens, how confusions that seem irremediable turn into relatively clear flowing streams when one is heard.”
Working with Jeff
How I work
My approach is rooted in Person-Centered Therapy. I use curiosity and humor to help clients feel safe, understood, and empowered. To help address your needs, I draw from multiple theoretical traditions including psychodynamic, existential, third-wave CBT including ACT and DBT, and Motivational Interviewing. I am trained in EMDR and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and use those techniques for clients with specific issues such as PTSD, OCD, and specific phobias.
What to expect at a first session
We spend your first session getting to know you and what you are interested in addressing in your life. If you’ve had experience with therapy and/or other mental health treatment, we’ll explore that so we can incorporate what’s worked for you and let go of what hasn’t. We’ll explore your strengths so I can get a sense of what is or has been “right” in your life in addition to what is going “wrong” currently. We’ll start to explore your goals for therapy.
Who I work with best
I consider myself a generalist and work with a variety of clients and issues, as I often find client’s needs escape clear definition. That said, I have found myself connecting with clients with similar issues. These include: trauma/PTSD, including sexual and domestic violence; substance use disorders; anxiety, including OCD and specific phobias; and people facing life transitions, including older adults making meaning of their lives; parents juggling multiple obligations, and younger adults and students forming their identities.
I accept traditional Medicare as well as many Medicare Advantage plans. I work with high school-age adolescents on a limited basis.
What Jeff treats, and how
Ages & clients
- Adolescents (12–17)
- Young adults (18–25)
- Adults (26–64)
- Older adults (65+)
- Individuals
Areas of focus
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma / PTSD
- OCD
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance use
- Grief & loss
- Life transitions
- Relationship issues
- Self-esteem
- Sleep issues
- Phobias
- Sexuality / gender identity
- Men's issues
Particular experience with
- LGBTQ+
- Neurodivergent
- Veterans / military
- Multicultural
- High-achieving professionals
- College students
Modalities
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- EMDR
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Psychodynamic / psychoanalytic
- Person-centered / humanistic
- Motivational interviewing
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
I believe that each client possesses the internal resilience to address challenges and flourish in their lives. I use humor, curiosity, and a non-judgmental style to create a welcoming space where clients can explore their inner strengths and motivations, ultimately creating the change they seek.
