Psychiatrists, Therapists (Counseling) & Forensic Psychiatry in Northern VA / Greater Washington, D.C.
Since 2010, Shugarman Psychiatric & Counseling’s board-certified psychiatrists, psychotherapists (therapists), and forensic psychiatrists and psychologists have been providing comprehensive, compassionate mental health treatment (psychotherapy / counseling and medication management) for adults, adolescents, couples, and families in the Northern VA and Greater D.C. areas.
Whether you are seeking medication management or counseling for depression, anxiety, OCD, or other challenges, our expert psychiatrists and psychotherapists are here to help! We recognize that everyone’s needs differ, and we will work closely with you to develop personalized treatment plans to optimally meet your psychotherapy and medication-related mental health needs.
Conveniently located in Old Town Alexandria, VA, our office is very accessible by car and metro to those in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. Evening hours are available and parking is provided. Please inquire further about scheduling and costs.
We also provide forensic psychiatric and forensic psychological evaluations and services. Our board-certified forensic psychiatrist and forensic psychologist perform evaluations for civil, administrative, and criminal matters. Additionally, they are available to serve as an expert witness on mental health-related legal matters throughout the country.
Our experienced board-certified psychiatrists perform psychiatric assessments and provide medication management and psychotherapy for clients ages 16 and above.
Our compassionate psychotherapists provide individual psychotherapy, couples counseling / marital therapy, and family therapy for clients ages 13 and above.
Our forensic psychiatrist and forensic psychologist provide psychiatric and psychological assessments and expert witness services for civil, administrative, and criminal matters.
What’s the Right Treatment for Me?
By putting together licensed professionals from various backgrounds, we have created a practice designed to help individuals, couples, and families achieve their mental health, personal, and relationship-related goals. We offer psychotherapy for persons ages 13 and older, and both psychotherapy and medication management for persons ages 16 and older. All of our providers are skilled psychotherapists, with training in cognitive-behavioral (CBT), psychodynamic, and supportive psychotherapy. Training in additional therapeutic modalities varies by provider.
If you think you may benefit from medication, please ask about scheduling with one of our two board-certified psychiatrists, Ryan Shugarman, M.D. (ages 18 and older) or James V. Rives, M.D. (ages 16 and older). If you are seeking psychotherapy alone, you are welcome to work with Kristin Harkins, LMFT (ages 13 and older) or with Drs. Shugarman or Rives. Persons in treatment with outside providers are always welcome to the practice. Please note that the practice is currently not accepting new patients with Medicare Part B.
At the end of each appointment, we will provide you with a detailed receipt designed to help maximize insurance company reimbursement. Treatment-related costs vary by provider and are available upon request.
Individuals, law firms, companies, agencies, and other entities seeking forensic psychiatric or forensic psychological assessments for civil, administrative, or criminal matters should visit our Forensic Services page or contact the practice for additional information.
We look forward to working with you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about our mental health therapy services in the Alexandria, VA & Washington, D.C. area!!
Our Providers:
Have questions? Interested in scheduling?
Please call us at (703) 596-1024 or complete our contact form to learn more about our psychiatric treatment services in the Alexandria, VA / Greater Washington, D.C. area!
For more information about mental health conditions, psychiatry, and treatment, the American Psychiatric Association's and NAMI's websites offer excellent resources.
Client Testimonials:
“I have the utmost respect for Dr. Shugarman. He is incredibly well-crafted and highly adept in his field of work. I would recommend him to a loved on or client for psychiatric care without a moment's hesitation.”
“As a patient of Dr. Shugarman’s, I find him to be a caring and experienced therapist who is deeply committed to helping his patients improve their lives. He is easy to talk to and listens thoughtfully. He has been instrumental in helping me understand myself better and successfully deal with several difficult issues. He also closely manages my medications. I recommend him highly.”
“Dr. Shugarman listens and works with his patients for the right therapy. A true professional in his command of pharmacology and patient care.”
“I have been a patient of Dr. Shugarman’s for several years. He is very knowledgeable in his field. He is very attentive to your concerns/needs and he offers not just medications, but suggestions for new activities, new interventions, and/or changes in behavior for positive results. I highly recommend the services of Dr. Shugarman.”
“I have been a patient of Dr. Ryan Shugarman in two separate periods since 2012. His approach is practical, straightforward, and effective, all while maintaining a sense of patience, empathy and non-judgment. He helped guide me out of some of the most difficult experiences of my life and instilled confidence and trust by carefully evaluating the various factors influencing my experiences before offering a diagnosis and then working to make sure that I had a management plan I was comfortable with. I greatly value him as a psychiatrist.”
“Kristin Harkins is by far the most compassionate and caring therapist that I have ever seen. I appreciate her mind, body, spirit approach to counseling which has really helped me to take a broad look at what healing and self care means for me. This year I have been able to make a lot of progress towards healing and it wouldn't have been possible without her help. I will always be grateful.”
“Kristin Harkins is one of the best therapists I’ve encountered, and I have seen a lot. She is thoughtful, compassionate and really knows her stuff. She has helped me get through some really difficult life changes, and I can’t recommend her enough.”
