Your Next Step Starts Here

Welcome! I’m glad you’re here.

Next Step Therapy offers collaborative and supportive outpatient therapy services where we work alongside you to better understand what you're experiencing and find meaningful ways forward. Whether you're seeking support for yourself or your child, we provide a compassionate, trauma-informed space where growth is possible and change feels doable.

You’ve already taken the first step. Let’s take the next one together.

Services

Marli Criniti, MS, LPC

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia. I specialize in working with children (ages 4-12) and adults (ages 18+). I provide support for a wide range of emotional and behavioral challenges. I have extensive experience working with ADHD and hold an ADHD-CCSP certification.

Areas of Focus:

  • ADHD

  • Anxiety

  • Attachment Trauma

  • Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

  • C-PTSD (Complex Trauma)

  • Coping Skill Development

  • Depression

  • Divorce & Parent Separation

  • Family Conflict

  • Grief & Loss

  • Impulse Control

  • Life Transitions

  • LGBTQIA+

  • Parenting Support

  • Peer Relationship Issues

  • School Avoidance

  • Self-Esteem

  • Self-Harm

My Approach

My approach is collaborative, supportive, and engaged. While I create space for reflection and growth, I am not a distant or “blank slate” therapist. I actively participate in the process, offering guidance, validation, and practical tools along the way.

I integrate evidence-based therapies with expressive modalities to meet each client’s unique needs. I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify unhelpful thought patterns and develop practical coping strategies. Through Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, I teach emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness, helping clients respond rather than react. I also incorporate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to build psychological flexibility and strengthen connection to personal values, along with Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed techniques to promote self-awareness and internal healing. When appropriate, I integrate somatic-based interventions to increase awareness of stress responses and support nervous system regulation. For children, I incorporate Play and Art Therapy techniques to create a developmentally appropriate space for emotional expression and processing.

Psychoeducation is central to my work as I believe understanding the “why” behind symptoms can be empowering. I provide age-appropriate education to help clients and parents normalize experiences and confidently apply strategies outside of sessions. With client consent, I collaborate with psychiatrists, pediatricians, teachers, school counselors, and other providers to support progress across settings.

My goal is to create a space that feels both supportive and engaging, where clients can feel comfortable being themselves while doing meaningful work.

Frequently Asked Questions