About Me

Victoria C. Bathe, Ph.D.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Virginia & Washington, D.C.

Therapist in Arlington VA

Humans are complex beings and life is full of challenges. Many people benefit from having a trained professional to confide in and collaborate with - to deal with emotional pain, make changes, understand strengths, or search for understanding and meaning in their lives.

My career has afforded me the opportunity to work with, learn from, and be inspired by many of these complex beings - each reflecting a remarkable range of human experience, diversity, and wisdom. I am grateful to each person who has entrusted me to support them in their process of healing, self-discovery, and growth.

I have trained and worked in number of diverse treatment settings, including military and VA hospitals, private hospitals, inpatient and outpatient clinics, residential substance abuse, college counseling, and private practice. These included Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Catholic University Counseling Center, Salvation Army Harbor Light Center, Psychiatric Institute of Washington, Washington, D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Arlington/DC Behavior Therapy Institute.

What’s it like to work with me?

I have a warm, collaborative style that integrates proven therapeutic approaches like cognitive behavioral (CBT), psychodynamic and relational, acceptance and commitment (ACT), and other evidence-based treatments. I create an individualized treatment plan to help you feel better quickly and make more meaningful change. I bring a respectful and compassionate stance to my work, and am directive and challenging when appropriate. Patients have told me they appreciate my deep care, honesty, and thoughtful questions.

I believe in the importance of the therapeutic relationship and view it as a tool to help you make positive changes in your life. Research shows that a strong therapeutic relationship can facilitate new insights about yourself and others in your life, promote growth, and produce change. I also believe that every person has the capacity for growth, healing, and change, and that therapy is a powerful tool to assist in this process.

Irvin Yalom, an existential psychiatrist, wrote:

“I prefer to think of my patients and myself as fellow travelers, a term that abolishes distinctions between ‘them’ (the afflicted) and ‘us’ (the healers)… We are all in this together, and there is no therapist and no person immune to the inherent tragedies of existence.”

I work from and share this perspective, believing that out of all my credentials, my most significant is that I am a member of the human race. I believe we grow in connection with others - showing one another what we can’t yet see.

Areas of speciality

  • Anxiety

  • Relationship challenges

  • Couples and Premarital therapy

  • Trauma and PTSD

  • Grief and loss

  • Life transitions

  • Obsessive-compulsive symptoms

  • People-pleasing tendencies

  • Depression

  • Existential concerns

  • Finding meaningfulness and vitality

  • Compassion

    Curiosity

    Creativity

    Equity

    Integrity

    Connection

    Presence

    Authenticity

  • I believe in looking to nature for lessons, guidance, and support.

    I believe in expressing ourselves in all the ways we feel called to.

    I believe in finding presence and discovering wonder and awe.

    I believe in embracing imperfection and retiring the story of not-enoughness.

    I believe in remembering what is and isn’t ours to carry, take responsibility for, or allow.

Credentials

  • Licensed Psychologist, Virginia

    • License #: 0810008084

  • Licensed Psychologist, Washington, D.C.

    • License #: PSY200001541

  • Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) - credentialed to provide teletherapy in 40 states under PSYPACT

    • APIT #: 14249

  • Credentialed Health Service Psychologist - National Register of Health Service Psychologists

    • Certification #: 150065

Education & Training

  • Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Catholic University of America

  • B.S. in Psychology, The College of Charleston

  • Predoctoral Internship, Washington, D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center

  • Postdoctoral Residency, Arlington/DC Behavior Therapy Institute