Ruth Saunders, LPC
Ruth's pronouns are: She/Her
Ruth helps teens and adults navigate stress, burnout, grief, and overwhelming life transitions.
Ruth works with teens and adults who feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or weighed down by life’s transitions. She is also trained in Play Therapy, and supports children navigating difficult seasons.
Ruth has experience working in schools, non-profits, and community mental health settings. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in School Counseling. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia and is pursuing additional certification in Play Therapy.
Working With Teens & Young Adults
Ruth especially enjoys working with teens and young adults who are navigating the pressures of school, college life, relationships, identity development, and early adulthood. Many of her clients are trying to balance high expectations with exhaustion, anxiety, or self-doubt.
If you’re struggling with setting boundaries, preventing burnout, managing academic or career stress, or figuring out who you are and what you want, Ruth offers a grounded, compassionate space to sort it out. She helps clients build practical tools while also exploring the deeper patterns that may be fueling anxiety, people-pleasing, or overwhelm.
Grief & Loss Counseling
Ruth has specialized experience supporting clients navigating grief and loss. She is a member of the Bereavement Coalition and understands that grief is not linear and does not follow a timeline.
Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a life stage, or a future you expected, Ruth provides steady support as you process the pain and find ways to carry both the loss and your ongoing life forward.
Support for Burnt-Out Parents
Ruth also works with parents who are running on empty. If you love your children but feel constantly depleted, overstimulated, or unsure how to create healthier boundaries, therapy can help you reset.
She supports parents in finding balance, rebuilding emotional capacity, and learning how to care for themselves without guilt.
Approach With Adults
With adults, Ruth uses a Person-Centered approach rooted in active listening, emotional attunement, and curiosity about your unique story. She gently explores how past experiences or trauma may be shaping current stress, relationships, or self-perception.
Depending on what feels most helpful, she may incorporate approaches based on CBT, or creative and expressive techniques like journaling, art, or sand tray work to deepen the process. (Ruth is the author of our blog post: “Dealing with Political Stress as a Parent”)
Working With Children & Teens
Ruth’s background in school counseling gives her strong insight into academic stress, school anxiety, peer challenges, ADHD, and family transitions.
In sessions with children and younger teens, she incorporates Play Therapy and interactive modalities that make therapy engaging, developmentally appropriate, and effective.
Ruth believes that healing happens in a compassionate, steady environment where you feel understood — not judged. She sees therapy as a space to slow down, process what’s heavy, and build a clearer path forward.
Ruth meets with clients in person at our Richmond office and provides online counseling throughout Virginia.
Interested in learning more about Therapy with Ruth?
Practice Areas & Client Focus
Licenses And Certifications: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) - Virginia
Ages Served: Children (9+), Teens, Adults (18+)
Areas of Expertise:
Children & Teens: Anxiety, Stress, Depression, PTSD, Trauma, Grief/Loss, Parenting Concerns, Handling Life Changes/Transitions, ADHD, Behavioral Issues, Neurodivergence, School Anxiety and Avoidance, Parental Separation/Divorce, Family Changes.
Adults: Grief, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Young Adulthood, Parent Burnout, Neurodivergence, ADHD, Women’s Issues, adjusting to changes, dealing with life's stressors.
Treatment Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), LGBTQ-Affirming, Neuro-Affirming, Play Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy.
Insurance & Logistics
In-Network with: Aetna, Cigna, United, Sentara, Optum, United Behavioral Health (UBH).
Out-Of-Network insurances: We can file claims directly with any other insurance (so you don’t have to).
Availability: In-Person and Online Counseling (Telehealth).
Office Address: 5540 Falmouth St, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23230. Conveniently located near Willow Lawn and St. Mary's Hospital, serving the West End, Midlothian (20 min), and Hanover (25 min). View regional directions here.
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