Therapist Dr. Natalia Rivera Photo

Dr. Natalia Rivera, LCSW

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Anger management Self esteem Depression
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About me

I am a licensed clinical social worker licensed in North Carolina and Georgia with over 12 years of experience working as an active duty Army Officer in Military Treatment Facilities and community partners. In my 22 years as an active duty Army Soldier, I have worked with clients of different ages with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, self-harm, conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In the U.S. Army my specialty was combat and military sexual trauma-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Combat Operational Stress. I currently provide counseling services for individuals over 18 years of age, but I also provide behavior modification or Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy for children under 18 who are diagnosed with a neurological condition.

My counseling style is warm, humorous, and interactive. I am empathetic and nonjudgmental, and I strive to create a therapeutic environment rooted in acceptance, openness, and unconditional positive regard. However, I am also realistic and honest, and I will always tell you the truth, but in a kind and supportive way. My approach combines cognitive-behavioral, humanistic or client-centered, reality and rational-emotive counseling. I will work collaboratively with you to create a treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs and together we will track your progress and revise the treatment plan when necessary.

In our journey together, you will be the driver and I will be the passenger reading your map. Sometimes we may take a wrong turn and that is OK, but together we will use your map to get back on the track to the destination of your choice.

My regular schedule is:
Monday - Friday: 11:00 am - 8:00 PM (EST)
Saturday & Sun: Out of the office (Appointments may be considered on a case-by-case basis)
PLEASE NOTE: TIMES GIVEN ON MY PAGE OR FROM MY MESSAGES ARE IN THE EASTERN TIME ZONE WHERE I AM LOCATED.

I typically check my messages after 5 PM everyday (sometimes more) and try to respond within 24 hours of your message, but this is not always possible, but I will do my best to give a timely response.

Please note: Periodically my schedule may change. I try to be as flexible as I can when there are specific appointment requests, and we can always discuss other convenient times where I may be able to open up a one-time slot on another day.

MY CANCELLATION POLICY
Just a quick message to inform about my cancellation policy. Your appointments and well-being are very important to me and I understand that sometimes, unexpected delays can occur, making schedule adjustments. If you need to cancel your appointment, I respectfully request at least three days’ notice. Appointments are in high demand, and your advanced notice will allow another client access to that appointment time.
Please note: It is Betterhelp’s cancellation policy that you cancel at least 24 hours before the appointment.

I look forward to working with you!

V/R
Natalia

Professional experience

12yrs in practice

Additional areas of focus: Grief, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Coping with life changes, Communication Problems, Control Issues, Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster, Domestic Violence, Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Emptiness, First Responder Issues, Guilt and Shame, Impulsivity, Isolation/Loneliness, Life Purpose, Midlife Crisis, Military and Veterans Issues, Multicultural Concerns, Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks, Post-traumatic Stress, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Social Anxiety and Phobia, Women's Issues, Young Adult Issues

Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy

License information

NC LCSW C009986

GA LCSW CSW006608

Reviews

These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Dr. Natalia Rivera. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.

Dr. Rivera is simply AMAZING, I’m so grateful for her

Written on Mar 13, 2023 after therapy with Natalia for 1 year and 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and parenting issues

Dr. Natalia has a real-world view of the problems we face in today's society. She is very capable of seeing different sides of the same problem and bringing people together to focus on solutions. I particularly enjoy the lack of psychological jargon, slogans, and off-the-shelf solutions. She is creative in her examples and brilliantly infuses humor when broaching challenging subjects. Dr. Natalia's life experience coupled with her genuine desire to help people makes her an ideal mental health professional for most of us. She is however not for everyone! If you are not genuinely seeking growth, change, or improvement and are ready to do the work towards agreed-upon goals, she will recommend another professional for your journey.

Written on Sep 22, 2022 after therapy with Natalia for 2 weeks on issues concerning family conflicts

You're the best therapist I've ever had. And I appreciate all you have helped me through! Very much made a mark in my life

Written on Aug 13, 2022 after therapy with Natalia for 1 year and 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, compassion fatigue, and adhd

She do an amazing job! She knows what She is doing!

Written on Aug 01, 2022 after therapy with Natalia for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, sleeping disorders, self esteem, compassion fatigue, and adhd

Natalia is just was I was looking for in a therapist. She listens, gives sound advice, and helps you create a structured plan for yourself. I would definitely recommend her to my loved ones.

Written on May 27, 2022 after therapy with Natalia for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes

She has been a great support through some of the toughest times. I highly recommend Natalia and BetterHelp.

Written on May 25, 2022 after therapy with Natalia for 1 year and 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, coping with life changes, coaching,