Frances Berniger , LPC

Frances Berniger is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed to practice in both Virginia and Texas, bringing 20 years of experience to her work with adults. As an LPC she holds professional licensure that qualifies her to provide mental health counseling and therapeutic support.

Before beginning her counseling career, she spent sixteen years as a special education teacher, a background that informs her patient, structured approach. Her counseling practice focuses on adults age 35 and older who are coping with grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship challenges. She also works with people dealing with the effects of having a spouse or parent with a personality disorder, with particular attention to issues related to narcissism.

Her therapeutic work emphasizes compassion and a strengths-based outlook. She offers guidance using cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness techniques, and solution-focused methods to help clients build practical skills and strategies for meeting life’s challenges. Clients are encouraged to pursue measurable progress and to develop tools that support long-term coping and resilience.

During four years as an independent contractor with the platform, she observed that many clients chose audio sessions, and she remains open to video sessions when that is the client preference.

Approaches for online therapy and how they help

Frances Berniger draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based practices to support clients in an online setting. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, helps people identify unhelpful thought patterns and develop practical strategies to change behaviors and improve mood, making it useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Mindfulness therapy teaches present-moment awareness and simple attention skills that can reduce reactivity and enhance emotional regulation, which is often helpful for trauma responses and chronic worry.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Frances works collaboratively with each person to determine which combination of methods fits their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting techniques over time as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexible options that accommodate different schedules and comfort levels. Sessions can take place by video call or phone, and additional support can be provided through live chat or text-based messaging when appropriate. These options allow clients to access licensed professionals from locations that work best for them while maintaining continuity of care and consistent skill-building.