My Background
My personal background plays a large part in how I communicate and connect with clients. I grew up on the east coast in a three-generation household with Slavic and Italian grandparents. My upbringing impacted me in a lot of different ways, but what I am most proud of is that is helped me become a direct and transparent communicator who holds deep empathy and compassion for others. Addiction, disability, classism and mental health issues were ever-present through my developmental years, and for this reason, I am passionate about helping others navigate these experiences. I am particularly drawn to working with fellow creatives and artists, individuals seeking to mend attachment trauma, individuals experiencing systemic and structural inequities, and those who are hoping to develop a better understanding of themselves and how they relate to others.
When I'm not working to build my own clinical skill set, I enjoy spending time engaging in local mutual aid efforts, weight lifting, hiking with my dogs, cooking cottagecore meals,reading science fiction and epic high fantasy,and spending time with my partner in the woods or in our garden.
I believe the world is full of magic, you just need to look for it!
Virginia Hicks (she/they) has nearly 2 decades of experience working as a tattoo artist in New York and Oregon. Through this work, they have developed a strong, collaborative approach to working with clients, helping to develop body art to affirm each individual's identity story. She has guided individuals through physically exhaustive and emotionally vulnerable tattoo sessions by fostering compassion and trust.
It is their belief that this history in body art and a long, meaningful career as a tattoo artist has helped inform her counseling practice and how she approaches the therapeutic relationship. Together, you will redefine your life story and its meaning, rewrite narratives that no longer serve you, and develop a sense of self-efficacy and self-possession that will carry you through the next chapter in your life.