Rachel Ratafia-Levine

Forward Focus Counseling specializes in supporting parents navigating the tween and teen years, as well as adolescents who need support themselves. Whether your family is facing anxiety, conflict, school stress, changing boundaries, or growing independence, therapy can help you navigate these years with greater confidence, communication, and connection. With more than 17 years of counseling experience, including extensive experience as a professional school counselor, I bring a strong understanding of adolescent development and the challenges families encounter as children move toward greater independence. My approach is collaborative and relationship-focused. I draw from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), attachment-based approaches, and family systems perspectives. Rather than using one approach for every client, I tailor therapy to the individual or relationship and the changes they want to make. PARENTING COUNSELING & THERAPY Parenting an adolescent can bring an entirely new set of questions. When should I step in, and when should I give my child space? How do I set limits without damaging our relationship? How can I help with anxiety or school stress? What do I do when every conversation seems to turn into an argument? I work with parents of tweens and teens who want to better understand their child, reduce conflict, strengthen communication, establish healthy boundaries, and maintain connection while supporting increasing independence. Parenting counseling can address anxiety, ADHD, school and academic stress, changing behavior, family conflict, communication difficulties, social concerns, transitions, boundary setting, and the changing parent-child relationship. Your child does not necessarily need to be the person in therapy for things at home to begin changing. Sometimes supporting the parent is an effective place to start. TWEEN & TEEN THERAPY, AGES 10+ Adolescence brings rapid changes in relationships, identity, independence, academics, friendships, and family dynamics. Even positive developmental changes can create stress for both adolescents and their parents. With extensive experience working with adolescents in both school and therapeutic settings, I help young people navigate anxiety, academic pressure, friendships and peer relationships, family conflict, identity development, emotional regulation, transitions, and feeling overwhelmed. Therapy provides adolescents with a space of their own while also recognizing the importance of their relationships with parents and family. YOUNG ADULT THERAPY I work with college students and young adults navigating anxiety, relationships, life transitions, independence, and uncertainty about what comes next. Therapy can provide space to understand underlying patterns, clarify values, and approach decisions with greater confidence. COUPLES & RELATIONSHIP THERAPY I also work with couples experiencing recurring conflict, emotional distance, communication difficulties, parenting stress, and major life transitions. Using Emotionally Focused Therapy and attachment-based approaches, we work to understand patterns beneath conflict and strengthen communication and connection. Location: 1737 King St. Suite 330 Alexandria, VA 22314