Being voted one of DC Metro's Top 200 Therapists in the July 2009 issue of Washingtonian Magazine was a huge honor for me. I have been in practice for 19 years and now see clients in two locations. These individuals, couples, and families are typically dealing with life transitions. I believe each of us needs assistance at some point in our lives, and my job is to help those experiencing change or crisis to tap into their inner resources for more effective decision making. This may involve teaching life skills such as assertiveness or more effective ways to communicate.

I use reality based, cognitive-behavioral therapy in my work with clients. This involves helping clients identify problem areas, generating different options and/or solutions for those problems, and then working together to practice more effective thought processing, decision making, assertiveness, and/or communication skills.

My deep belief and trust in our capacity to learn, grow, and to find happiness are what keep me so strongly connected to my clients and has,for so many years, allowed me to forge strong relationships with my clients and to assist in their success.”

Carol Hawker offers individual, couples, family, and group therapy.  Her specialty areas include: couples’ counseling, adolescents, parenting, issues of separation and divorce, stepfamily development, Bipolar Disorder and other depressions, and anger management.  Carol is highly skilled in working with widely diverse populations in terms of age, race, culture, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds.

Carol has worked in the field of mental health for 19 years.  Prior to opening her own practice nine years ago, she worked for 10 years in family services for a private agency, eventually serving as the Clinical Coordinator.  

Carol has designed and conducted anger management groups for state and federal agencies as well as for three local court jurisdictions. She has taught as an adjunct professor at George Mason University.

Carol and her clinical partners most recently come from the Counseling Center of Fairfax, where she served for the past nine years as a senior partner and an officer of CCF.

Carol earned her Master’s degree in Community Agency Counseling from George Mason University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a member of the American Counseling Association, the Association of Marriage and Family Counselors, and the National Association of Forensic Counselors.  She is a Certified Domestic Violence Counselor, Level III.