Clinical and Vocationally-Focused Services

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An empathic and  versatile clinician, Dr. Balenger provides counseling around specific personal/occupational stressors; and psychotherapy for recurring or persistent issues affecting general adjustment & quality of life.

Such services are further detailed on Dr. Balenger's clinical website:  www.victoriabalengerphd.com

Psychology Today page:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/victoria-j-balenger-bethesda-md/855288 

Beyond her MD and VA licensure, Dr. Balenger has Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) granted by the PSYPACT Commission.  (Date Issued 08/11/2021; E.Passport/APIT #8833).  Covered states include: AZ, CO, DE, DC, GA, IL, MO, NE, NV, NH, NC, OK, PA, TN, TX, and UT.  Based on client preference, sessions can be either telephonic or held via secure video platform. 

Dr. Balenger has extensive background addressing workplace climate issues as well as vocational satisfaction, adjustment and decision-making. A major focus of her EAP work was helping clients cope with bullying, harassment or discrimination. Such behaviors, if not promptly mitigated by those in authority,  can jeopardize a dedicated employee's health, career and very livelihood.  

Dr. Balenger also coaches leaders to identify and effectively stem toxic workplace behavior - thereby maintaining safe, professional environments for all personnel.

In recent years, there has been increasing attention to the psychological toll of occupational traumatic exposure.  Beyond the obvious risks and dangers of active duty military and law enforcement work, there can be vicarious traumatization in seeing  human suffering which one might be powerless to remedy.  Evidence technicians and crime scene investigators, though typically tough-minded, can be unexpectedly hit by cases with child victims or by certain sensory aspects of violent crime. And, non-operational personnel like analysts, language specialists and victim services can be likewise vulnerable, often as a function of traumatic media exposure (e.g., child  exploitation materials, video from mass shootings).  Based on thoughtful needs assessment, Dr. Balenger can provide  individual or team-based interventions to facilitate constructive processing of traumatic or unexpected losses, in addition to defined critical incidents.