Anessa Wells, M.A.

Clinical Focus: Marriage and Family Therapy, Anxiety, Depression, Premarital Counseling (SYMBIS), Relationship Counseling (Gottman Level 1), Family of Origin Issues, Young Adults, Play Therapy, and Life Transitions

Anessa is passionate about working with couples, families, and children, believing family dynamics and systems are powerful forces that shape patterns of behavior. She is experienced in working with couples of most life stages, including those seeking to learn new communication skills, experiencing difficult times, or considering divorce. She has worked with children and adolescents experiencing depression and anxiety, as well as families seeking more harmony and peace within the home.

Anessa holds a M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Liberty University, as well as a B.S. in Psychology. She is currently pursuing dual licensure as an LMFT and LPC. Anessa is a certified facilitator in Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts (SYMBIS) and has completed Level 1 training in the Gottman Method Couples Therapy, which are programs designed to address premarital and marital relationship concerns across the lifespan.

Anessa previously worked in the academic research setting, assisting with curriculum development for the Virginia Recovery Courts system and authoring scholarly articles in various stages of the publication process. Anessa’s most significant research interest is loneliness and social connection, particularly how their long-lasting effects can impact a person’s life in today’s technologically driven age. Her focus on connection largely impacts her clinical work, as she seeks to help her clients build, restore, and nurture meaningful relationships.

Rooted in her Christian faith, Anessa offers a compassionate, hopeful, and collaborative approach, integrating faith into counseling upon request. She is dedicated to creating a safe, supportive space where clients can grow and heal, using empirically supported methods to help clients achieve their best results. She believes that individuals in any circumstance can benefit from counseling, and she is honored to partner with you in your journey to greater healing and wholeness.

In her free time, Anessa enjoys trying new recipes, working out, embroidering, playing the flute, painting by number, and spending time with her husband, Shepard, and their cat, Albert.