Riverbend Counseling Group (RCG) is an association of experienced mental health therapists who are dedicated to the emotional wellness of individuals and families in our community. We will customize our services and approaches to best meet your needs.
We offer therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups, training and supervision for clinicians, workshops, and substance abuse assessment and treatment.
Currently, No Riverbend Counseling Group therapists are accepting new clients. Please make a referral for a RITT therapist at the link in the menu above.
Meet the Riverbend Counseling Group
Kris SantaMaria, LCSW
Kris has been in the mental health field since 1994. She provides individual psychotherapy for adults dealing with anxiety, trauma, PTSD, dissociative disorders, somatic issues, depression, anger, and adjustment issues. She also provides clinical consultation for therapists looking to develop their skills in the use of EMDR therapy and the treatment of Dissociative Disorders.
Kris uses a variety of effective treatment modalities including EMDR Therapy. EMDR therapy is a highly effective modality for working with past/recent trauma and anxiety, depression and somatic issues related to trauma. Kris believes in helping her clients to deeply learn about and appreciate their whole selves. She helps them develop essential regulation skills, and recognize and use their internal resources to help themselves. She believes we are all meant to be well and with the right support we will find our healing path.
Funding: Kris accepts private pay, Anthem, Optima, TriCare, Value Options and CSA funding.
Thistle Newcomb, LPC
Thistle Newcomb specializes in treating Trauma and Anxiety in Children, Teens, and Adults. She has over 20 years of experience in working with children, adolescents, and families with extensive knowledge of the child welfare system, foster care, and local resources.
Additionally, Thistle is an EMDR Approved Consultant and available for those EMDR clinicians seeking consultation hours.
Thistle accepts funding for therapy from CSA, Self-Pay, and she is paneled by the following insurance companies: Optima - commercial and Anthem - commercial. Please contact for rates.
Melissa Hirsch-Fielding
LPC
Melissa has been providing therapy and support in a direct and loving way to adolescents, adults, couples and families in the Charlottesville community for over 25 years. Areas of focus include anxiety and depression, life transitions, parenting and marital issues, trauma and loss, reunification and blending families, conflict resolution and building effective communication. There is an emphasis on trust and emotional safety in the clinical relationship and finding strengths and competencies within to overcome the most difficult life challenges.
Funding: Private Pay, Aetna, Anthem, Optima, UBH, CSA Funding, and some Medicaid HMO's.
Lindy Swimm, LCSW
Lindy has over thirty years’ experience working with individuals, adolescents, children, and families. She specializes in attachment and trauma modalities that are well researched in their effectiveness to treat and mitigate mental health concerns. An Integrative Child-Parent approach is available for Attachment and Trauma needs for families and children. Also, individualized expressive therapy interventions such as art, sand tray, play therapy, and music are incorporated into therapy sessions. Lindy's relationship-focused parent-child interactional therapy helps work through traumatic experiences and increases positive parent-child interactions. Lindy is a certified EMDR therapist. EMDR treatment is a highly effective treatment offered to assist in resolving complex conditions such as developmental trauma, PTSD, complicated grief and loss, and foster care and adoption issues. Lindy is an Approved EMDR Consultant. Consultation for therapists is available for therapists seeking EMDR certification and therapists seeking consultation on attachment and trauma cases with children, families, and adolescents.
Specialties include relational problems, grief, and loss, treating victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, family therapy, dissociative behaviors in children and adolescents, families in the foster care system, and pre and post-adoption support services.
Funding: Lindy accepts CSA Funding and Private Pay
Bonnie Lungren, LCSW, CADC, CCDP
Bonnie has over 30 years of experience in the counseling field. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and a Certified Co-occurring Disorders Professional. Bonnie is also trained in EMDR and often integrates that, as well as Mindfulness and Internal Family Systems into the therapy she provides. Bonnie specializes in treating adults and adolescents with substance use disorders, trauma, anxiety, depression, and attachment issues. She can, also, provide substance use assessments.
Bonnie accepts self-pay, CSA funding, Medicaid, Medicare, Anthem, Optima, and Aetna insurance.
Danica Plantz, LCSW
Danica has been providing therapy and supportive services to families in the Charlottesville community for over 20 years. She uses a strengths-based approach and builds a trusting environment to help individuals, couples, and families reach emotional wellness and healthy functioning. Areas of focus with adults include adjustment issues, depression, anxiety, and grief and loss issues. Danica’s specialty also includes working with the unique needs of adoptive families through all stages of the placement process and proving post-placement supportive services.
Danica accepts most private insurance, CSA funding, Medicaid and will also accept private pay from clients.
Danica accepts most private insurance, Medicaid and also will accept private pay from clients.
Rebecca Mcintyre, LCSW
Rebecca is a licensed clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience working with individuals, couples and families dealing with the challenges of mental health issues, and/or physical illness such as cancer. She has expertise working with anxiety, depression, ADHD (Adults and Children), trauma, dealing with serious illness, relationships, and grief and loss.
Rebecca practices with a kind and gentle approach using proven strategies to help clients regain control and move forward with a focus on building resilience and overall healthy functioning. Some of the strategies Rebecca uses include cognitive and behavioral therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, meaning-centered psychotherapy, self-compassion therapy, emotion-focused couples therapy, and various contemplative practices.
Rebecca accepts private pay and most insurances.
Rebecca@riverbendcounseling.net
Cindy Payne, BSBA
Cindy Payne is a medical biller for mental health professionals, has expertise in electronic filing, paper submissions, insurance follow-up and appeals, patient statements and account balancing, financial reporting, accounts receivable tracking, and insurance benefits, verification, eligibility, and credentialing.
With a B.S. in Business Administration Management and over 28 years of administrative and management experience, Cindy worked as a mortgage processor, operations manager, and assistant branch manager at banks and investment firms. She also was a regional office manager of a mental health services agency. Additionally, Cindy provides bookkeeping services to various small businesses.