Diane M. Hoekstra, Ph.D.

Dr. Hoekstra specializes in treating adults and adolescents with a variety of presenting concerns, including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting concerns, eating disorders and a history of trauma.  She works with patients in individual therapy and does parenting consultation with parents.  Dr. Hoekstra’s model of psychotherapy is based on Attachment Theory, which emphasizes the need for a secure, safe relationship in order to heal and grow.

Dr. Hoekstra works from a somatic perspective, focusing on the present moment experience of the patient in the room, including their thoughts, feelings and their experience in their body. She recognizes healing can occur on many levels (physical body, emotions, sense of self, or spiritual) and with different modalities, depending on the client’s needs.  She works collaboratively with holistic and mind-body practitioners and integrative medicine practices.  She particularly enjoys working with clients on spiritual exploration in their healing process.

Dr. Hoekstra works with those who have experienced loss, trauma or significant difficulties in relationships.  She also works with children and families who have experienced or may be experiencing the traumatic effects of domestic violence or interpersonal violence; she focuses on establishing safety, understanding power and control dynamics, and recovering and healing from the impact of physical, emotional or verbal abuse. Dr. Hoekstra also specializes in treatment of women’s issues across the lifespan.  She treats both perinatal and Post-partum mood disorders.

Dr. Hoekstra received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Virginia in 1991 and has been licensed to practice in Virginia since 1993.  She has been in private practice since 2003, with a particular emphasis on individual psychotherapy.  She is currently seeking certification as an advanced practitioner with the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, a state-of-the-art, comprehensive model for psychotherapy, which combines “talk therapy” with exploration of the somatic experience in the body.  This approach applies to most up-to-date neuro-science findings to understanding how healing occurs in psychotherapy.  Dr. Hoekstra works with survivors of childhood trauma as well as survivors of trauma experienced in adulthood, utilizing this model of psychotherapy.

Dr. Hoekstra has also studied Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples, an approach which is based on Attachment Theory–understanding the nature of bonding and relationships in adulthood.  She has completed Core Skills Training in EFT and two years of Advanced Core Skills Training at the Washington Baltimore Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy (WBCEFT) in Falls Church, Virginia.  She is lifetime member of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT).

Dr. Hoekstra is also a Registered Parent Educator with the Circle of Security International.  This model provides a brilliant, user-friendly educational program on parenting.  It is based on the extensive research performed on the nature of parent-child relationships in the field of Attachment Theory.  Dr. Hoekstra has extensive experience working with adolescents and children in inpatient, acute and long-term residential settings.  She worked for over 9 years at Graydon Manor, a long-term psychiatric residential setting for children and adolescents.  There she provided individual, group, and family psychotherapy, as well as serving as the director of treatment teams.

Dr. Hoekstra has also worked in Arlington County Public Schools as a clinical psychologist in the Interlude Program.  She also provided psychotherapy and supervision of graduate students for over 3 years at The Women’s Center in Vienna, Virginia.

Member:

  • American Psychological Association
  • Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists
  • Northern Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists
    • Former Vice-president and Continuing Education Committee Chair 2010-2014
    • Current Community and Media Relations Chair
  • International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
  • Give-an-Hour Volunteer Provider for Members of the Military and their families
  • Volunteer Therapist–Fairfax County System of Care Office Short Term Behavioral Health Service for Youth (STBHY)
  • Local Management Team Member for Project Aware, Fairfax County, Virginia Tiered Systems of Support (VTSS)–a Comprehensive and efficient Systems approach for addressing the mental health needs of school-aged youth