Sirena Pangelinan,
Resident in Counseling

(She/Her/Hers)
EMDR Trauma Psychotherapist

Sirena is an EMDR trauma therapist in Henrico, VA, who strives to support client’s ability to not only survive, but thrive. Her specialty areas include complex trauma, intergenerational trauma, substance use disorders, eating disorders, adult attachment disorders, and neurodivergence.

 

She values the role that attachment needs play within the clinical relationship, and utilizes "here-and-now" approaches to help individuals gain insight into how these dynamics impact their life relationships. Sirena believes that mental health symptoms are just the tip of the iceberg, and while she supports individuals in acquiring new skills to face life's challenges, she is also eager to address the core concerns that stand in the way of a sustainable and enduring recovery.

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In addition to her Gestalt-influenced style, Sirena also values integration of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Narrative Therapy in her trauma work. She supports clients in widening their window of tolerance to hold stories from the past while staying in the present. In this way, individuals are able to create meaning of their life's experiences, without being swallowed up by their histories.

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Sirena has received training in parts-work, Polyvagal Theory, and somatically-informed interventions.

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Sirena earned two bachelor’s degrees, her BSW in social work and BS in psychology from Ferrum College in 2018. She gained her master’s in clinical mental health counseling and certificate in substance abuse counseling through Capella University in 2023. She is currently working on completing her PhD in counseling, education, and supervision.