About Me

Here you can find a little more information about me and my approach to therapeutic work. My name is Irina, and I'm the founder of Imperium Therapy Services. You are probably wondering, do I actually know what I'm doing (that's where people ask about education and experience), and why am I doing my job? The first part is pretty straightforward and résumé-like. The second part goes more in-depth and tells you more about me, Irina, the person who provides therapeutic services.

So, here we go. I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Maryland University College and my Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern California (Go Trojans!), where my concentration was mental health and my sub-concentration was military social work. I currently hold licenses as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida (#SW 16285), New Jersey (#44SC06139400), and Virginia (#0904014722).

I have received training in different modalities including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I), Somatic therapy, Jungian dreamwork, and Attachment-based therapy. Since 2014, I've been working with people looking for help to ease symptoms associated with anxiety, OCD, stress, shame, anger, low self-esteem, insomnia, and attachment issues in the context of relationship problems. However, we can't be good at everything! My rigorous training in anxiety, OCD, insomnia, and attachment trauma prepared me to help people achieve meaningful progress specifically in those areas.

And here comes the most important part: Why? The answer is simple. I care. I genuinely believe every human being is a good person and deserves to have a great life: a life without intrusive or obsessive thoughts interfering with daily functioning, job performance, or relationships; a life without panic attacks, feeling on edge, and constant anxiety and worry; a life where one is comfortable in social situations and calm or excited at public speaking events; a life where one accepts happiness in the "here and now" instead of chasing a hundred goals toward a "perfect" lifestyle; a life with sound sleep, waking up refreshed and full of energy, without needing sleep medications every night that only lead to grogginess; and a life where one feels content in their relationship, without constant worry of abandonment or fear of commitment.

I care because I've witnessed the devastating effects of the conditions listed above on people's lives. I've also seen amazing transformations take place through therapeutic work. I reflected my vision of therapy and my attitude toward people in the logo and name of my practice. Imperium means "supreme power" in Latin, which reflects my belief that there is an absolute power within each of us. This power, when applied, helps us make the changes we want. The spiral in my logo is an ancient symbol representing growth, evolution, and the source of life. It reminds us that life is an evolving journey and that change is a normal process. The spiral winds toward its center, which is symbolic of therapeutic work: we need to get to the center of the issue in order to initiate change.

A couple more things to know about me. I'm straightforward, and I'll always be honest with you, because I believe you deserve real answers, not empty reassurance. Therapy is work, and I'll be right there doing it with you. I bring the tools, the guidance, and the support. You bring the willingness to try, even when it's hard. If that sounds like the kind of partnership you want, reach out and let's get started.