Prioritizing your wellbeing, and the health of your relationship, is no small feat in today’s world. If you’re here, you’ve already taken the hardest step, and I’m genuinely proud of you for getting started.
I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor Resident at The Relationship Center of Hampton Roads, where I specialize in helping couples rebuild after infidelity and betrayal, and in helping men move through the shame that so often keeps them silent, defensive, or shut down in their relationships. My clinical training includes the Gottman Method, and I am currently pursuing additional training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). Together, these approaches give our work a research-backed roadmap — not just a conversation about feelings, but a concrete understanding of what predicts repair versus rupture in a relationship, and of the underlying attachment needs driving the cycle you’re stuck in.
Why I Do This Work
I came to this work after years of running my own service-based business. That chapter taught me a lot about hard work and problem-solving, but it also gave me a “boots-on-the-ground” view of the everyday stresses that wear a family down — how easily the logistics of life and work can crowd out the things that matter most. Driven by a desire to help people on a deeper level, I pivoted my career to focus entirely on the healing power of relationships.
What I Specialize In
Infidelity and Betrayal Trauma: Discovering an affair — emotional, physical, financial, or otherwise — shatters the assumptions a relationship was built on. I help couples move through the acute crisis stage, understand what happened and why, and decide — together, deliberately — whether and how to rebuild trust. This isn’t about rushing to “move past it.” It’s about doing the slow, honest work that makes real repair possible.
Men’s Shame: Many men were never taught a vocabulary for shame, so it shows up instead as anger, withdrawal, control, or numbing out. I create a space where men can name what they’re actually carrying — often for the first time — without being pathologized or shut down. This work is frequently a turning point in couples therapy, especially after a betrayal, because unprocessed shame is one of the biggest barriers to genuine accountability and reconnection.
Relationships at a Crossroads: I also work with partners at pivotal moments where the path forward feels unclear — navigating modern dating, facing a relationship ultimatum, or finding solid ground during a major life transition.
What Approaches Do I Use in Couples Therapy?
I draw primarily from two research-based models. The Gottman Method is built on decades of observational research into what makes relationships succeed or fail, and helps identify your specific conflict patterns and rebuild trust after betrayal. I’m also currently in training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), an attachment-based approach that focuses on the underlying emotions and unmet needs driving your conflict cycle — helping partners move from defensiveness and criticism toward the kind of emotional attunement that lets you actually hear each other again.
At the heart of my practice is one simple belief: You, and your relationship patterns, make sense. Often, the ways we learn to protect ourselves in the past end up becoming the very walls that keep our partners out today. I firmly believe we are all doing the best we can with the resources we have. If you find your relationship caught in a cycle of misunderstanding or avoiding the growth you both desire, I can help you identify those habits and trade them for real, authentic intimacy.
My goal is to help you understand your partner (and yourself) more deeply, build a relationship that feels like a safe harbor, and feel more in control of where your “us” is headed.
What Can You Expect From Working With Me?
Our first session is about creating a safe container for both of you — a pace that feels secure, even when the subject matter (an affair, a shame spiral, a relationship at a breaking point) is anything but. My job is to understand the current “weather” of your relationship and identify what’s needed to build a sturdy foundation for lasting change. In our work together, I don’t take sides — I am on the side of the relationship itself.
I look forward to answering any questions you have for me! Reach out today to schedule an appointment.
Rates
| New Client Consultation to discuss how Lucas can help you | Free for 15 minute phone consultation |
| Individual Therapy | $140 for 50-minute session |
| Couples Therapy | $140 for 50-minute session |
| Late Cancellation | Full Session Fee for cancellation within 24 hours of appointment |
| No Show Appointment Fee | Full Appointment Fee |
Payment
Cash, check and credit or debit cards are accepted for payment.
Insurance
Lucas currently accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield for Virginia residents for individual therapy. If Lucas does not accept your insurance and you prefer to use your insurance, he will be considered an out-of-network provider. You will be charged the private pay rates and will be provided with a receipt for services that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
