Tammy Villines, PsyD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Providing Therapy and Assessment
for Optimal Wellness
Contact Us At 434 529 7818 tammyvillines@gmail.com
5799 The Square, Offices 2 & 3
PO Box 504 Crozet, Virginia 22932
VitalLife Psychology, Tammy Villines
Therapy, assessment and consultation services, PSYPACT Approved Provider
In-Office and Virtual Sessions
Tammy Villines, PsyD Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Villines graduated with her Doctorate Degree in Psychology (PsyD) in 2004 from the American School of Professional Psychology – Arlington, Virginia Campus. She has worked extensively with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples in community mental health, private practice, and residential treatment settings.
Dr. Villines’ areas of specialty include complex family issues, divorce dynamics, child custody challenges, domestic violence, abuse and trauma, and comprehensive neuropsychological and related assessments. Her clinical work often intersects with the legal and social service systems, and she is experienced in providing expert testimony and/or other forms of client advocacy, as indicated. In addition to those specializations, she has significant experience working with children, adolescents, and adults, as well as with families and couples presenting with a wide range of highly acute and complex to mild and situational clinical issues.
Dr. Villines utilizes an evidence-based and integrative treatment approach, facilitating relational and individualized treatment plans. She incorporates cognitive-behavioral, trauma-informed, family systems, emotional-focused, humanistic, and dialectical behavioral therapy into her practice. Additionally, she provides play therapy to younger clients, or as clinically indicated. Dr. Villines also relies on developmental, neurobiological, and attachment style in understanding individual thinking and behavior.
Dr. Villines practiced in the Washington, D.C. area before relocating to central Virginia in 2019. She started VitalLife Psychology to provide a boutique model of practice, valuing client relationships and clinician availability over patient numbers. She remains committed to that practice model and stays abreast of clinical research outcomes and state and local legislative policies, procedures, and statutes to provide ‘best practice’ care. Her professional affiliations include The American Psychological Association (APA), Society for Couples and Family Psychology, Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists (VACP), Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), Parental Alienation Study Group, National Register of Health Service Psychologists, and The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC). Dr. Villines is also heavily involved in trainings, seminars, and other continuing education opportunities offered by The Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT).
Clinical and Professional Services | Psychotherapy and Psycholegal Therapy
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is a joint process between a therapist and a child, adolescent, or adult. It is a safe, confidential space where clients can address longstanding or situational issues interfering with their quality of life with a trusted, objective mental health professional. Appointments are 50 minutes and typically occur weekly, biweekly, or monthly, depending on case acuity and client preferences. A client’s stage of life, presenting problems, and interpersonal style informs treatment planning and interventions. Dr. Villines views the therapist-client relationship as paramount to treatment and client progress. Her goal is to provide an atmosphere of unconditional positive regard, warmth, empathy, and support, while at the same time challenging thoughts, behaviors, and interaction/communication patterns that negatively impact one’s functioning.
Family/Couples Therapy
Family and couples therapy comprises individual and joint sessions, with appointments ranging from 60 to 120 minutes. Family and couples therapy assists individual members in understanding self, others, and self in relation to others, which enables growth, healing, repair, and health in relationships.
Common presenting problems include unhealthy communication and interaction patterns, increased conflict, deceit and betrayal, addiction, sexual issues, parenting philosophy differences, infertility, parent-child problems, tense sibling dynamics, extended family challenges, interpersonal/domestic violence, and grief, to name a few.
Court-Ordered or Legally Involved Therapy
Psycholegal therapy differs from non-legal therapy in that therapy may be involuntary, and one’s private health information may be less protected. Dr. Villines provides detailed information to all legally involved clients about the limits to their confidentiality and is transparent about situations where she is legally bound to release confidential patient information. Dr. Villines is experienced in working within the legal system and is committed to providing ‘best practice’ empirically validated treatments to address the unique issues legally involved clients face. While Dr. Villines treats legally involved clients, she is not an officer of the court, and her foremost priority and role is that of a psychologist. She is committed to collaborating with attorneys, social services, and additional psycholegal professionals as indicated to advocate for and support her clients’ best interests.
Additional Psycholegal Services
Dr. Villines provides parent coaching and reunification therapy (when clinically indicated), incorporating recommendations from AFCC, APSAC, and The Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT), as well as up-to-date data on best practice interventions in such cases. In addition, complicated legal cases frequently co-occur with abuse, violence, trauma, and mental health difficulties, resulting in individuals experiencing trauma reactions and/or retraumatization when navigating legal processes. Dr. Villines assists clients in understanding systems, preparing for anxiety/trauma-inducing communications and meetings inherent in legal cases, and implements a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to helping clients ready themselves for testimony.
Assessment Services | Psychological, Neuropsychological, and Psycholegal Evaluation
Neuropsychological Assessment
A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation is a testing method used to gain data and information about a client’s cognitive, academic, linguistic, visual-spatial, motor, attentional, executive functioning, memory, adaptive functioning, and social cognition abilities, as well as social-emotional-behavioral-personality status. Standardized testing measures and qualitative information are utilized to inform diagnoses, treatment planning, educational programming, and, at times, medical consultation. The testing process consists of a one-hour intake, two to three testing sessions, and a feedback session to discuss results and recommendations. After test completion, a detailed written report is provided, incorporating a thorough record review summary, test findings, and recommendations. Dr. Villines can also advocate for services and/or accommodations following evaluation.
Psychoeducational Assessment
Psychoeducational assessment typically includes an intelligence test (IQ test) and academic achievement measures. Supplemental measures assessing language, attention, executive functioning, etc. may be administered as indicated. The process involves a one-hour intake, one to two testing appointments, a feedback session, a written report, and post-assessment advocacy. After scheduling an appointment with Dr. Villines, new clients will receive a passcode to access our secure patient portal. Once you have logins, you'll be able to utilize the patient portal for appointments, scheduling, and payment.
Targeted and Admissions Testing
In some cases, individuals seek to gain specific information about a concern, which can entail targeted attention and executive functioning testing or social-emotional and personality testing. Admissions testing is also provided and most frequently involves administration of an IQ measure. Intake and feedback sessions, as well as written reports, are provided for targeted and admissions testing.
Psycholegal Assessment
Psycholegal assessment can include neuropsychological, psychoeducational, or psychological evaluations to provide the court with information about a client’s cognitive, academic, social-emotional, and/or personality profile. Dr. Villines also conducts interpersonal violence, parental capacity, and custody evaluations. The limits of confidentiality in legally involved evaluations are discussed in detail with the client before assessment. Dr. Villines is often subpoenaed in legal cases to present assessment findings in expert testimony.
Clinical and Legal Consultation
Dr. Villines provides consultation to attorneys, mental health professionals, community centers, and educational institutions in the following areas: abuse allegations in custody cases, interpartner/domestic violence, abuse and trauma, complex parent-child issues, divorce dynamics, custody outcomes, child and adolescent development, resiliency, attachment, personality disorders, reunification data and outcomes, child protective services policy/practice/finding classifications, neuropsychological assessment, and treatment indications and outcomes for varying mental health challenges throughout the lifespan.
Contact VitalLife Psychology
434 529 7818
5799 The Square, Offices 2 & 3, POB 504, Crozet, VA 22932
VitalLife Psychology Offices
Located directly above the Mudhouse Coffee Shop in downtown Crozet. Enter the building through a solid black door on
Crozet Avenue that faces the Post Office. VitalLife offices are up the stairs and to the left at the end of the hallway.