Trusted Therapist Midlothian, VA Since 2015 | Virginia Counseling

When things feel too hard, you deserve support

If things are unraveling or just feel off, I am here to help you achieve real, lasting, positive life change.

Book Your First Session How it Works

✔ 10+ Years Experience

✔ Accepting New Clients

As seen in

John Mathews, LCSW was featured on Healthline
John Mathews, LCSW was featured on WebMD
John Mathews, LCSW was featured in U.S. News
John Mathews, LCSW was featured in The Financial Times
John Mathews, LCSW was featured in Business Insider
John Mathews, LCSW was featured on Fatherly

Is life feeling harder than it should?

You are doing big things in your life. But you are feeling conflicted, stressed, burnt out, anxious, hopeless, exhausted, or stuck.

Maybe you are a professional or tech worker and have been dealing with a fairly stressful situation for a while now.

Maybe you are a business owner and everything and everyone is relying on you.

Maybe you are feeling stifled in a work environment that doesn’t support your creative drive.

Maybe you are thinking about pivoting and want to talk to someone before making any drastic career changes. Or maybe you are trying to just make it a few more years until retirement.

Maybe you just plain don’t like your job and don’t know what to do.

The thing is, problem-solving is better with collaboration. You deserve a non-judgmental place where you can learn to use real tools to reduce stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression.

I can help you make positive change in your life.

How I CAN Help

A more sustainable way forward starts here.

At Virginia Counseling, I can help you achieve real, lasting, positive life change — especially if you’ve been carrying too heavy a load for quite some time.

Examine and reflect

Life can be full of conflicting values, aims, and goals. We slow down to examine and reflect where you are currently.

Laugh sometimes

Humor is a really good way to get to the truth. Often what makes something funny is something that’s incongruent.

Enjoy life

You cant just wake up and choose to be happy. But you can learn to infuse happiness into the process of getting there.

Book Your First Session

Trusted therapist Midlothian, VA | online across Virginia

How Therapy Works

Starting therapy with Virginia Counseling is simpler than you may think.

01

Tell me what’s bringing you in

First complete a quick 1-minute form to let me know what you’re going through and what matters most to you. This helps me have some real context before we get started. You can expect to receive an email from me within 24 hours to get you scheduled and a link to the client portal to complete your paperwork.

02

Meet with me

Your initial appointment is our chance to get to know each other and feel out the fit. This is important because research consistently tells us that the therapeutic relationship is what matters most. If it’s not the right match? Tell me, and I will help you find someone who is.

03

Start where you are

There is no right way to start therapy. Whether you choose to meet with me in person in Midlothian, VA for a walk and talk, sit and chat, or online from anywhere in Virginia, we start where you are. And I look forward to helping you achieve real, lasting, and positive change in your life.

Book Your First Session

Virginia Counseling

I’m a therapist in Midlothian, VA

Looking for the therapist Midlothian, VA trusts? I am John Mathews, LCSW – a masters-level, CBT trained, licensed therapist working with individuals and young adults for more than 10 years. Let’s find out if I am the right fit for you. Read more about my unique approach below.

Hi, I’m John

Many people think therapy is about achieving some specific thing and then your done. But I think therapy is about developing a process of thinking that helps you feel happy along the way.

You may have tried therapy before and you didn’t really get much out of it. But working with me is different.

I believe that therapy isn’t about just listening or offering advice. It’s about collaboration. It’s about slowing down long enough to examine your life, working out what it is that is making you feel stuck, and being your partner to help you find your right direction.

I became a therapist because it seemed like a way to actually help people live a better life. For the last 10 years I have practiced evidence-based therapy informed by practical philosophy to help my clients achieve positive life change.

Counseling with me feels reflective, fun, and meaningful. We will ask questions, we’ll challenge assumptions, and we will probably find a way to laugh about it all.

Most importantly, we’ll take time to focus on you. Together we’ll get you on the path to living a life that you actually enjoy.

Learn more about me →

Pricing

What therapy actually costs in Midlothian, VA

Transparent pricing so you know what to expect for what mental health care costs are in Midlothian, VA. At Virginia Counseling, individual therapy is $200 per session billed directly to your insurance. Most clients with in-network insurance, pay only $25–$50 per session and I am in-network with most commercial insurance policies.

Session Rates

$200

individual therapy, billed directly to your insurance

What most clients pay

$25–$50

per session, with in-network insurance

How insurance works

I am in-network with most commercial insurance plans. That means, you pay only your copay or coinsurance per session and I submit claims electronically on your behalf.

Therapy Services

Support for your life that brings real, lasting, positive change.

● Therapy for Work Stress

● Men’s Therapy

● CBT Therapy

● Anxiety Therapy

● Depression Therapy

● Therapy for Burnout

● Therapy for Creatives

● Therapy for Substance Issues

Therapist midlothian, va | online across virginia

There are two ways we can work together.

No matter which format you choose, we work together to help you create positive change in your life.

Online Therapy in Virginia

We can work together by meeting with video in a comfortable environment that fits in with your life and schedule. You can skip the commute with online sessions that offer the same therapeutic depth and process.

More about online therapy →

In-Person Walk and Talk Therapy in Midlothian, VA (or Sit and Chat)

We can also meet in person in a beautiful park setting in Midlothian, VA. Whether we choose to walk, or just sit and enjoy the green space, getting outdoors in nature can offer a great new perspective and the same therapeutic depth and process.

More about walk and talk therapy →

A Midlothian, VA Therapy Practice · Since 2015

I’m kind of a therapy and philosophy nerd.

I am a masters-level licensed therapist trained at one of the country’s leading social work programs, right here in Richmond at VCU, with specialized training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) from the Beck Institute. I also study and write about philosophy—including Stoicism and Socrates. For over a decade, I’ve practiced evidence-based therapy that has helped clients achieve lasting, positive change in their lives.

VCU · George Mason · Beck Institute

Midlothian, VA · Richmond, VA | In person & teletherapy | Accepting new clients

My practical philosophy approach

Therapy isn’t just about solving your problems.

At Virginia Counseling, I practice therapy with a unique integrated practical philosophy approach.

There is a term in philosophy called eudaimoia — which people often translate as happiness. But really it means something more like flourishing. Its not just joy, but a life condition that encompasses good feelings.

What you do in the present moment indicates what you do in the future. You have to aspire to love your life right now. If you want to enjoy life later, you have to enjoy life right now. There is no separation.

The process of finding your right direction, moving forward, and getting on the path to loving your life is part of life and it is part of feeling happier.

John Mathews, LCSW at Sunday Park in Midlothian, VA. He is a therapist in Midlothian, VA.

Who I Help

You are not alone in this.

I help clients in Virginia who are:

  • Dealing with severe burnout and stressful situations for awhile, and wanting a happier path in life.
  • Uncertain about career direction, feeling stuck, not knowing what to do, and wanting to talk to someone before making any drastic career changes.
  • Struggling to get internally motivated, stuck in unhealthy habits, and wanting to learn to use real tools to achieve your goals.
  • Carrying pervasive anxiety because life just hasn’t gone the way you wanted and wanting support in figuring out what to do to feel better.
  • Navigating a challenging situation and want help with practical coping strategies.
  • Trying to manage work-related anxiety and craving relief from the heaviness.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Clear answers about starting therapy in Midlothian, VA, what to expect, and what it costs.

Getting Started

Start by telling me what is bringing you in to therapy. Whether that is anxiety, work stress, burn out, depression, a life transition, or if you’re not exactly sure yet, reaching out is a good way to get started. It’s a quick 1-minute form to let me know what you’re going through and what matters most to you. So I can get some real context before we get started. I’m accepting new clients for both in-person walk and talk sessions in Midlothian, VA and secure online therapy across Virginia. Questions first? Feel free to fill out the contact form with any questions you may have or call or text me at (804) 317-5756.

Choosing a therapist usually comes down to two things. First, is the therapist experienced in what you want to work on. Second, is the therapist a person that you feel comfortable being honest with. One of the most important things that is found consistently in research is that your relationship with your therapist is one of the best indicators of if therapy will help you. Because of this, when you start therapy with me, our first session will be our time to see if I am the right therapist for you and your situation. And if I’m not, that’s okay. Tell me and I will help you find a therapist that is.

Your first session with me is a conversation, not an evaluation. Because we handle the paperwork before your first appointment, the time in your first session is dedicated to understanding of your current situation, what you are hoping for with therapy, and how I can best help you start working towards positive life change. There is no wrong thing to say in your first session, or in therapy in general. And you don’t need to have it all figured out or even be able to name exactly what’s wrong. Most people leave their first session with a clearer understanding of what it would be like working with me.

My Approach

I am trained in an evidence-based approach — cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and I integrate it with practical philosophy. I go beyond just managing symptoms to hep you understand the patterns behind why you are feeling the way you do.

No — I am a licensed therapist that provides talk therapy. I don’t prescribe medication. If you need medication, you can reach out to a psychiatrist, or you primary care doctor. Many people do very well with just talk therapy without medication and others a combination of medication works best. If medication is something you would like to explore, I can help you talk it through and find a prescriber that can help.

Cost & Insurance

Therapy in Midlothian, VA is usually between $176 and $202 per session. As a reference, the Fair Health Consumer lists $189 as the average rate for a 53-minute session (CPT 90837) as of 2026. At Virginia Counseling, individual sessions are $200 billed directly to your insurance. I am in-network with most commercial insurance plans and my clients typically pay $25–$50 per session.

Yes—I am in-network with most commercial insurance plans. That means that you can expect to pay only your copay or coinsurance for each session. I file the claims directly to your insurance on your behalf and my clients typically pay $25–$50 per session. If you aren’t sure what your plan covers or what your copay would be, you can call the member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask about psychotherapy service costs specific for your plan.

About the Practice

I am located in Midlothian, VA. I offer in-person walk and talk therapy (or sit and chat) at several local parks in Midlothian including—Horner Park at 17701 Genito Rd, Moseley, VA 23120, and The Park at River City Sportsplex at 13030 Genito Rd, Midlothian, VA 23112. I also offer secure online therapy throughout Virginia, with the same quality of care, from wherever is comfortable and convenient for you.

I’ve been a therapist in Midlothian, VA since 2015 — one of the more established private therapy practices in the Midlothian area. I am a masters-level therapist, with an advanced degree from the VCU program. I have been featured in Healthline, WebMD, U.S. News, Financial Times, Business Insider, and Fatherly. And because I’m in-network with most commercial insurance plans, most clients find therapy to be very affordable.

Ready for Things to feel easier?

Schedule Your First Therapy Session Today

You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. When you’re ready, I’ll help you sort through the heavy things and move toward real, positive, and lasting life change.

Take The First Step

10+ Years Helping Clients | Therapist Midlothian, VA | Online Across Virginia