Andrea Anderson Polk has been serving the mental health needs of Northern Virginia for nearly 20 years providing hope in difficult times, painful relationships, and challenging circumstances to co-create lasting healing in a safe and compassionate environment.
Andrea’s Education + Expertise
Andrea is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is Nationally Certified.
She is a registered clinical supervisor for the Virginia Board of Counseling, where she works with counseling candidates pursuing their professional licenses. Andrea is a Certified Professional Coach. Additionally, she holds a ministerial diploma and has a deep understanding of theology.
Andrea served as president and vice president of Northern Virginia Licensed Professional Counselors (NVLPC). She is a Certified, Registered Supervisor for the Virginia Board of Counseling to provide supervision for Resident in Counseling candidates pursuing licensure.
In addition to her clinical training, Andrea is a Certified Professional Coach. She also holds a ministerial diploma and has a deep understanding of theology.
Andrea’s Approach
Andrea believes therapy is not merely a conversation; it is a relationship between two people. Therapy is not something that happens to us, it is something that happens through us. Healing happens through relationship: The wounds that occurred in relationship must be healed in a relationship, says Andrea.
Andrea is an expert in helping people resolve longstanding issues, or when other therapists have failed and multiple therapy sessions have proven ineffective, or when churches and faith-based communities are unable to help.
Andrea’s therapeutic approach is specifically tailored to the client based upon their unique life story. She uses a Christian faith perspective in her approach.
More recently, she is focusing her treatment on women who are leaders in their communities. She comes alongside her clients who are struggling with work-life balance, imposter syndrome, stress + overwhelm, persistent anxiety, or a chronic feeling of emptiness that something is missing in their life. Whether they are in media, ministry, or business, Andrea helps her clients experience breakthrough.
“I am driven by a deep passion to help ambitious women of faith face the deepest truths of their life so they can find healing, break free of fear, and live each day with peace and purpose.”
Andrea’s Book
Andrea recently published her first book, The Cuckoo Syndrome: The Secret to Breaking Free from Unhealthy Relationships, Toxic Thinking, and Self-Sabotaging Behavior.
She was inspired by her courageous clients to bring her breakthrough strategy about the cuckoo metaphor into print because of the life-saving changes it made in their lives.
“Andrea intimately understands the human heart and the heart of God. As a follower of Jesus and with over a decade of clinical experience counseling hurting people, she powerfully integrates scripture, science, and psychology. Andrea’s words, equally elegant and surprisingly provocative, demonstrates that by facing our deepest heartaches and identifying the lies we believe, that transformation and healing happen. You will be welcomed into an honest conversation with yourself, God, and others about your wants, needs, and desires. You’ll discover that what or who is keeping you stuck, is not what you think it is. The Cuckoo Syndrome is driven by the truth of John 8:32 that the truth will set you free. “
– Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church, and New York Times best-selling author
Fun Facts About Andrea
Andrea’s Myers-Briggs type is INFJ (which makes up less than 1% of the population)! She begins each morning with a cup of matcha, can’t resist vintage rock tees, and enjoys the company of her closest friends. She is married to her husband and best friend, Dan.
