Esther L. Boykin, LMFT
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist | CEO
I’m a graduate of Virginia Tech and I specialize in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have been working as a private practitioner in Northern Virginia for nearly 10 years. I have presented and published on a variety of topics including teen marriage, child abuse, and domestic violence. I have led multi-couple groups as well as conducted pre-marital workshops for military couples at Fort Belvoir.
While I’m experienced in working with all types of people and relationships, my areas of interest are couple dynamics, pre-marital counseling, relationship maintenance, and working with trauma survivors. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the state of Virginia and my work is rooted in the belief that good mental health begins with compassion. My therapy approach incorporates a variety of theoretical perspectives in an effort to fully understand each person’s unique struggles. This then drives the development of a thoughtful and comprehensive plan for change to help each person create meaningful connections in their lives.
In addition to my clinical work, I am a freelance writer whose work has been featured in numerous print and online publications, including HitchedMag.Com, Yahoo! Shine and Yahoo!Sports. I am a Yahoo! Featured Contributor in mental health and I write a regular feature for I Am Modern magazine, a lifestyle magazine for modern moms in the DC metro area. Click here to get my latest articles delivered right to your inbox.
Interested in having Esther speak for your organizations next event? To book, contact Rebecca Maguire at 703.203.6945 or for your customized quote.
Llouana Harper, LPC, NCC
Licensed Professional Counselor | COO
I am a graduate of The Margaret E. Warner Graduate School of Higher Education and Human Development and I specialize in individual, family, and group therapy. I adore working with adolescents and their families and have done so for many years. I have developed and led various adolescent and multi-family groups. I have not only provided therapy but also diagnostic assessments, recommendations and service coordination to a wide range of families from many cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
I have given presentations and workshops on a variety of topics and collaborated with community agencies, schools and large organizations. I am a National Certified Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor with the state of Virginia.
In my experience as a therapist, I can appreciate the courage it requires for people to recognize the need for support, ask for it and follow through, and the strength of those who choose to open themselves up and share their most private experiences in the hopes of gaining insight or making a change. I am honored to be part of their journey as they reconnect with themselves and others in a meaningful way.
Interested in having Llouana speak for your organizations next event? To book, contact Rebecca Maguire at 703.203.6945 or for your customized quote.
Kelly Alcorn, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a graduate of San Diego State University, where I earned my degree in Social Work. I have a wide range of professional experience working with individuals, families, and couples. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of working with developmentally disabled children and adults, helping them to create a higher level of independence within their lives. I specialize in helping clients deal with depression and anxiety disorders, marital discord, sexual disorders, childhood trauma and sexual abuse. I also have a great deal of experience in the treatment of addiction- including drugs and alcohol as well as addiction to pornography .
I have presented at professional conferences, state hospitals, child treatment centers, and churches on topics such as pornography addictions, sexual disorders, and the neurological effects of childhood trauma.
My training and background is based in client centered therapy and humanistic therapy which means that although I draw on other disciplines in my work, my first priority is to find out what is bringing you to therapy and tailor your treatment uniquely to you. I believe it is my job to create a space for conversations that are warm and collaborative, and that are respectful of your individual values, goals, and preferences. I have a profound belief in the goodness of people and focus on your strengths to help you overcome challenges you may be facing in your life.
I hope to create a safe space where we can laugh, cry and explore together. I am active and involved in our conversations, searching for questions that might help you come to new understandings of yourself, others, and your deepest purposes for life.
Christa Denny, LMFT
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
I am a Virginia native, born and raised in Fairfax. I attended Mary Washington University and received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science degree from Virginia Tech in Marriage and Family Therapy. Since 1995, I have worked in a variety of mental health settings including: psychiatric inpatient hospital, parenting programs, home-based counseling and mentoring , couples groups, and outpatient mental health. I began working exclusively in private practice in 2005.
My areas of interest include: family dynamics, parent-child interaction, women’s issues, mindfulness, mind/ body connections, anxiety , and depression. I work with a wide variety of clients including individuals, families, parents and children over the age of seven. As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I see the therapeutic relationship as essential to change and growth. I work from a systems prospective which helps me focus not only on someone’s internal experience but how that fits into a larger framework of relationships. Through my work, I support each client in meeting their goals while providing a safe and nurturing environment to do so.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, toy fox terrier and yoga.
Susan Guidry
Intake Coordinator
I am the Intake Coordinator at Group Therapy Associates and a full time stay at home mom. I graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech and I received my Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Troy State University. I have been in the public school system for over ten years. I enjoy staying healthy by running and doing yoga in my community. I volunteer at my children’s school and at a local food pantry.
I am your first point of contact to the practice and am happy to answer your questions and schedule your first appointment. My job is to help make the process of starting therapy as smooth as possible by offering answers to common questions and connecting you with one of our skilled therapists. I look forward to your call and helping you start your journey at GTA.