ABOUT DAN CIMO, LCSW | TRAUMA THERAPIST IN VIRGINIA
WORK WITH A THERAPIST THAT gets it
Online EMDR therapist in Virginia specializing in trauma, attachment, and deep healing that changes how you feel about yourself and how you show up in your relationships.
Welcome, I’m Dan. I know what it’s like to find your way back to yourself.
If you are here, you may be carrying pain that has shaped how you see yourself, how safe you feel in relationships, or how hard it has been to feel at home in your own body. My work is about helping you understand what happened, heal what still hurts, and build a more secure relationship with yourself.
why I DO THIS WORK
I did not take a straight path to becoming a therapist. Before this work, I spent years in theatre and the performing arts, where I learned how to listen deeply, stay present with emotion, and attune to what is happening beneath the surface. That experience shaped the therapist I am today and taught me that healing begins with honesty, presence, and the courage to go somewhere real.
My work is also shaped by my own healing. I know what it is like to feel disconnected from yourself and to carry pain that is hard to name. I am almost six years sober, and recovery has transformed both my life and my work. Along the way, I discovered that the parts of me I once judged most harshly were actually the parts that now help me sit with others in a real and meaningful way. That is why I believe lasting change happens in relationships where you feel safe, understood, and supported enough to heal.
how I WORK
I believe that many of the struggles people bring to therapy, anxiety, shame, depression, overwhelm, and painful relationship patterns, are not signs that something is wrong with them. They are often adaptations to what they have lived through. My work is grounded in trauma and attachment, helping clients make sense of their patterns, heal the experiences that still feel stuck, and build a more secure relationship with themselves. EMDR is one of the main ways I support that process, helping change happen not just in insight, but at a deeper emotional level.
My style is active, warm, and collaborative. I am engaged in the work with you, offering reflection, honesty, and challenge when it is helpful, while staying attuned to your experience of therapy itself. I believe the therapeutic relationship is part of the healing, especially for people with attachment wounds or histories of relational pain. Being deeply seen, and staying connected even through moments of rupture or misunderstanding, can become part of what helps you heal.
TRAINING AND credentials
I pursue training with depth and intention. Every course, certification path, and consultation I invest in is chosen because it helps me offer better care to the people I work with. I am not interested in collecting credentials for the sake of appearance. I am interested in becoming more effective, more precise, and more helpful in the therapy room.
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I hold a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and I'm currently pursuing my Doctor of Social Work (DSW) at Barry University, where my research focuses on trauma-informed leadership and practice. I also teach graduate-level courses on trauma and clinical practice at VCU's MSW program.
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I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia. This allows me to provide my services to any clients who are located in Virginia at the time of session.
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I've trained extensively in approaches that are built for deep, lasting change. I’m currently pursuing advanced EMDR certification with a focus on complex developmental trauma. Here are some of the models that most influence my work:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Attachment-Focused EMDR
Brainspotting
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
Core Self Reclamation Therapy
Coherence Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Parts & Memory Therapy
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Individuals and Couples
Relational Life Therapy
why the name COHERENT MIND TRAUMA COUNSELING?
Coherence is the alignment of the mind, heart, and body. Many of my clients come into therapy not knowing why they are struggling the way they are. When we slow things down enough to make sense of your challenges, you will start to experience feelings of relief, clarity, and compassion. This practice was built for people who want to see real, lasting change in their lives, not just sit and talk about their problems forever. I want to get you in, do the deep work, and see you living your best life. You will have focused, committed support every step of the way.
outside THE THERAPY ROOM
Outside of session, I am usually learning, through doctoral work, advanced training, and consultation with other clinicians, because staying curious helps me stay sharp and grounded in this work. I am especially drawn to the science of memory reconsolidation and the deeper question of how real change actually happens. Beyond the clinical world, I try to live by the same values I bring into therapy: honesty, integrity, authenticity, and service. I stay connected to my recovery community, spend time with family and friends, keep my coffee habit very much alive, and still have a soft spot for belting out a showtune whenever the moment calls for it.
“Nothing that feels bad is ever the last step.”
— Diana Fosha
