You’ve Built a Successful Life, But it’s Starting to Feel Unsustainable

Online therapy for burnout, overwhelm, and anxiety

Are you feeling exhausted, mentally, physically, emotionally? Perhaps you’ve noticed you feel disconnected from the things that matter most to you, or you’re feeling unusually cynical about things that used to bring you joy. Maybe you’ve noticed that you’re feeling increasingly irritable, even when you can’t quite put your finger on what is wrong.

Clients seek me out not for a band-aid over these issues but because they are yearning for a more authentic life and want help getting there. Many of my clients express that they are exhausted by the pressures of life and are growing resentful of the role they are playing to keep the ship sailing. They want help reconnecting with who they really are and to build a life around that authentic center. If that sounds like you, then please consider reaching out.

My passion is helping my clients to:

• Uncover their values
• Restore their passions
• Heal from emotional pain
• Maintain healthy relationships
• Learn about themselves
• Build an authentic life

About John Mathews

I have 10+ years of experience helping clients to live more authentic and sustainable lives. My writing has been cited in peer-reviewed research, university studies, and clinical practice materials. I have received extensive training in CBT from the Beck Institute, a world-renowned CBT training center founded by the ‘father’ of CBT Aaron Beck. CBT is well-established in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and other issues, and has been shown to be as effective as medication in treating these issues.

The core idea of CBT is that thoughts and behaviors are a driving influence of emotion, and while we cannot directly change our emotions, we can make changes to our thought and behavioral habits. Therefore, we can improve the way we feel by exploring how our current thought patterns and habits are influencing our emotions. Once we understand these connections, we can make changes to these habits that improve our emotional experience.

I supplement this background with insights from practical philosophy. The thinkers who resonate most with me include Martin Buber, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and Socrates. The theme that connects all of them is the importance of genuine dialogue for coming to understand ourselves and to take part in the good life. Dialogue is, for each of them, not a means to an end, but an end in itself. So, with that said, let’s talk!

Read more about John and the services John provides.

Therapy services provided

I provide online therapy for adults experiencing burnout, overwhelm, and anxiety. I also have training working with depression and sleep issues.

I also provide a limited number of home-based psychotherapy appointments in or near Midlothian, VA (23112) and Moseley VA (23120). I have provided therapeutic services in the Greater Richmond area since 2010, and in Midlothian specifically since 2014 and have a deep understanding of the culture of this area — its perks as well as its challenges. If you are interested in home-based services, please contact me .

Read more about John’s approach to therapy.

How it Works

When you’re ready to book an online session, you can (a) book a session on my virtual calendar, (b) email me (jmathews@vacounseling.com), or (c) call me at 804-317-5756. I try to get everyone in within about a week, give or take a day or two.

While you’re waiting, I will send you an invitation to my portal where you can fill out an intake packet, which lets me know a little more about you and what you’d like to work on, as well as some other boilerplate information (confidentiality, etc.).

For the sessions themselves, I use a confidential Google Meet app for all sessions. It should connect automatically to any laptop with a webcam. You can also use your phone or tablet for the session, though you may need to download the Google Meet app first if you don’t have it.

Sessions typically last about an hour. The first session will be an intake session, which will be a little bit more structured than average, but still mostly just a conversation about what brings you to therapy and what you’d like to get out of it.

Cost of services

The cost of services can vary based on and are based on a number of factors. I accept most major insurances in the state of Virginia, including Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Optima, Optum, and others. Using your insurance benefits can drastically cut down on your costs for therapy. Some plans feature copay options in which you will be responsible for a flat reach each session.

Some insurance plans are high-deductible plans, which means you will be responsible for the full contracted rate of the session, as set by your insurance provider, until your annual deductible is met, at which point you will have no more financial cost for services. The amount of the contracted rate per session varies by insurance plan. You can find this information by checking your insurance plan benefits online or calling the Mental/Behavioral health number on the back of your insurance card.

Read more about cost of services and other frequently asked questions.