About
About Bridget
Bridget Simmerman, LCSW, RYT500 is a holistically oriented psychotherapist with over 35 years of experience. She has a unique ability to blend both traditional and alternative approaches for emotional healing. After practicing for more than 10 years in traditional inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings she began to experience the limitations of her conventional training. These limitations inspired an exploration in alternative approaches to healing emotional pain and distress. For the past 24 years she has studied and trained in body-mind-spirit healing. Exploration and study have included: Clinical Hypnosis, self-relations psychotherapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Pathwork psycho spiritual work, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, acupressure, and energy healing. She is a certified yoga teacher (RYT 500), certified in acupressure, and has studied with many prominent psychotherapy, yoga, acupressure, chi gung, and energy medicine practitioners.
Bridget is currently in private practice in Blacksburg, VA.
Training and Academic Background
Exploring the Vagus System: The Health That is Never Lost – 2019
Training in Somatic Developmental Healing
With Janet Evergreen, MA
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Training
Level I: Affect Dysregulation, Survival Defenses, and Traumatic Memory – May-November 2014
Level II: Emotional Processing, Meaning Making, and Attachment Repair – November 2016-March 2018
Somatic Attachment Training – May 2013-present
Diane Poole Heller, Ph.D.
Dynamic attachment repatterning experience
DARe modules 1-5
Continuing consultation and webinars
Certification in Acupressure – March 2001
Acupressure Institute, Berkely, CA
Michael Gach, Ph.D.
Certified Yoga Teacher – August 1998
2 year Training Program
Esther Myers Yoga Studio
Integrative Yoga Therapy Teacher Certification – October 1999
Acu-Yoga Teaching Certification – 1999
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) – August 1998
Level II Certification
Clinical Hypnosis Training September – June 1994
9 month Course with Bob Dick, Ph.D.
Human Resource Consultants
Raleigh, NC
Emotional Healing and Acupressure – April 2002
Emotional Freedom Therapy – 2002
Gary Craig, Independent Study Course
Extensive post-graduate training in relational therapies, eastern meditation, yoga therapies and mind-body-spirit approaches to healing.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – November 1995
Professional Training with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli
Advanced professional training with Steven Gilligan, Ph.D. in Self-Relations Psychotherapy and Hypnosis – 1997-2005
Master of Social Work (MSW), Clinical Focus – University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 1986
Bachelors of Social Work (BSW) – North Carolina State University 1985
Professional Licenses and Certifications
Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) – State of Virginia
Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, Level II, Certified
Basic Acupressure & Acupressure for Emotional Healing
Registered Yoga Teacher, 500 hour level, Yoga Alliance
Reiki I & II
La Ho Chi Energy Healing Level II
