Grow with Grit and Grace

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Grit:

courage and determination

despite difficulty; passion and persistence toward a goal

Grace:

the exercise of love;

kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another

WELCOME

We believe life takes a whole lot of grit and grace to find fulfillment and satisfaction. In a world that feels hopeless, we like to offer hope. At Grit and Grace, we walk alongside you as you navigate life's challenges. Our goal is to help you find a fuller, richer, purpose driven life.

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WHO WE ARE

Our values can be summed up in the Jesuit tradition of Cura Personalis:

Care for the whole person… mind, body, & spirit.

We respect all individuals and help them find healing. We collaborate with other providers to provide holistic and thorough care. We are Christian by faith and welcome clients to incorporate their faith into the therapy process. We also feel strongly about the act of service and investing in our community, which is why we partner with non-profit groups in Alexandria to give back.

At Grit & Grace, we offer individual counseling for children, adolescents and adults. We also offer marriage and family counseling.

OUR SPECIALTIES

Anxiety

Depression

OCD

ADHD

Grief

Life Transitions

Marital Conflict

Parenting Challenges

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WHAT WE DO

We are person-centered counselors who use research- based methods of practice to include (but not limited to): CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), and DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy). We also provide limited executive functioning coaching. Our goal is to create individualized plans to help you work through your current challenges.

For our couples, we work from a structural family therapy model and incorporate a variety of methods and tools from EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy), the Gottman Method, the Couples Institute, and more to help you improve communication, heal from past hurts, and foster connection.

ABOUT US

Amy E. Sauder Lehman, LPC, LCPC, NCC

Hello! My name is Amy. Although I am currently a counselor, I actually started my career in the elementary classroom. Out of college, I taught fourth grade in DC Public Schools. After several years of teaching, I enrolled in George Washington University’s Master of Arts in Counseling program. Upon graduation, I accepted a school counseling position at Holy Trinity School in Georgetown. During my eight years at Holy Trinity, I slowly built up hours toward my Virginia Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) certification. After accruing the required experience and supervision hours, I acquired my Virginia LPC and started private practice work on a part-time basis.

Over the past 11 years, I have worked in a private practice setting on both a full and part-time basis. During that time, I also spent five years serving as School Counselor at Alexandria Country Day School. In 2010, I co-authored a book on bibliotherapy, titled That’s My Story, Too!, which combined my love for children’s books and counseling. To this day, it is one of my favorite projects!I enjoy working with clients of all ages and my clinical specialties are ADHD, anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, school challenges, parenting and grief. As a (former) collegiate athlete, I understand the unique challenges of competitive sports. I also have an interest in the intersection of faith and mental health.

Licensed in Virginia and Maryland

LPC Supervisor in Virginia

While I loved the energy of the school environment, I now enjoy the deeper therapeutic connections that I form with clients in the private practice setting. Over the past several years, I’ve expanded and now enjoy working with adults in all stages. In July 2023, I co-founded Grit and Grace Counseling Group with my friend, Elizabeth Welch. Personally, I love spending time with my husband and four children, ranging in age from 3-15 years of age. I spend a LOT of time on the sidelines of my children’s various athletics events. I enjoy playing pickleball (I am a recent tennis-to-pickleball convert!), taking yoga classes, long walks with friends, traveling and spending time on the water.

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Elizabeth Welch, LPC, NCC, LMFT R

Hi! I’m Elizabeth, and I love being outdoors in nature: gardening, hiking or walking… especially when the weather is perfect. When the weather is less than perfect, you can find me inside curled up with a dog, a cup of coffee, and a good book or movie. I am married to my high school sweetheart, and we are celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary this year. We have three lovely and wild children that have taught us more about ourselves than we were ever ready to learn. We also have more pets than we should, and yet we still regularly foster kittens and puppies.

My husband and I are both from North Carolina, but for the past 20+ years, home has been wherever the Air Force has sent us… and that has been quite a few places. Recently, we have decided to make Alexandria our permanent residence. We love the DC area and the East Coast.

I attended Undergraduate College at Furman University, where I received a BA in Religion and Sociology. I completed my Master’s Degree in Community Counseling at The College of New Jersey. I also concurrently completed their EdS program in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Licensed in Virginia

I have worked in community mental health, school counseling, and private practice.

Over the years, I have worked with clients across the lifespan. I have worked with everything from young children struggling with emotional regulation to adults who were severely mentally ill. I truly enjoy working with every type of person and situation, because I love how unique all of our stories and experiences are. I am drawn to family systems and the impact that we have on one another relationally. Whether I see someone individually, as a couple, or as a family, I have this perspective in mind.

I am a strong believer in the power of the therapeutic relationship, and I work hard to make sure every client feels valued, cared for and tended to in therapy. I value humor, honesty, authenticity, and transparency. What you see is what you get! I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and a Nationally Certified Counselor. I am also a Resident Marriage and Family Therapist in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I have additional training and certifications in Suicide Prevention, Childhood Anxiety, ADHD, Grief Counseling, and Couples Counseling.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I have never seen a counselor before and I’m nervous! What is counseling like?

We understand that it can feel like a big step to go to counseling! At Grit and Grace, we do everything we can to make the experience as comfortable as possible. We intentionally created a warm and welcoming office environment. We take time to build rapport and help you feel comfortable with your counselor. Typically, we work together to create therapeutic goals and we may ask you to engage in some sort of work outside of the session, such as reading a particular book or listening to a specific podcast.

How long is a typical counseling session?

The standard counseling session for individuals is 55 minutes. The standard counseling sessions for families and/or couples is 60 or 75 minutes. There might be special circumstances where a shorter or longer session is appropriate and your counselor will talk to you about this ahead of time.

If I decide to engage in counseling, what are the first steps?

Typically, the first step of a counseling relationship is completing an intake session. During an intake session, the counselor asks a series of questions in order to gain an in-depth history of social, emotional and academic/vocational functioning. After the intake session, you and the counselor will schedule a consistent meeting time.

Does Grit and Grace accept insurance?

Grit and Grace does not directly accept insurance. However, we provide you with a Super Bill at the end of each month, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. To get more information about reimbursement, call your insurance company and ask them about reimbursement for an out-of-network provider.

Does Grit and Grace offer virtual counseling sessions?

Yes, Grit and Grace offers virtual counseling sessions. For any virtual session, we utilize a secure, HIPPA-compliant platform called Simple Practice.

How often will I meet with my counselor?

Typically, your counselor will want to start by meeting with you weekly. At some point in the counseling relationship, you and your counselor may feel like it’s time to start meeting less frequently, like every-other-week.