Ria Ireland Drane, LCSW
(she/her)
Virtual and In Person Clinician
As a transgender, neurodivergent, lesbian, and geeky woman, I am familiar with the struggles that queer people have living in the South. As most of us do, I have experienced traumas from our cisheteronormative and neurotypical society, as well as personal/familial relationships. Through my professional and personal experience, I support my clients as they navigate the choppy waters to wellness, self-discovery, and self-actualization toward a calmer, more content place within themselves. I am particularly passionate about supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals who may be experiencing depression, anxiety, identity exploration and development, understanding neurodivergence, trauma, and navigating the stressors of life as someone with multiple intersections of identity. I am also poly and kink-aware and welcome clients from these populations.
My approach to therapy is primarily from a narrative perspective. It is my philosophy that every client should be aware that the problem is the problem and that they are not the problem. We can externalize said problem from you and team up against it. That said, some of my clients greatly benefit from Systemic Therapy, and that is a therapy that focuses on the fact that my clients, as marginalized people, have not had society serve them, and through this therapy, they can learn better ways to interface with society, such as affirming skill building. Through this therapy, they can help mitigate the distance between them and society.
I also believe in utilizing many tools in therapy, such as mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), family systems, motivational interviewing, and Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT). I also operate from a trauma-informed approach as I am aware that sometimes to make change we have to address the roadblocks trauma throws in our way. We are in this together, so I always encourage feedback from my clients so that we can build a collaborative therapeutic relationship
I completed my Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Social Work degrees from Kennesaw State University (KSU) in 2011 and 2020 respectively. I began my journey to a career in social work by working with the Disability Services Department at DragonCon, where I have engaged in disability advocacy for almost a decade. This pushed me to work towards making my profession helping those who need it. Upon graduation, I worked in community mental health for two years before joining Modern Path. I routinely deliver guest lectures for human sexuality classes at KSU concerning queer, trans, poly, and kink-related issues. I have also conducted training for mental health professionals as it relates to queer and transgender issues.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, GA CSW009265
My session fee is $200 for a 50-minute individual session and $220 for family sessions. Please do not let the cost deter you. I have the privilege of being able to adjust my fees when circumstances allow. When I am not able to meet your financial needs I have a deep list of referrals of folks I trust. I will provide the necessary documentation for out-of-network insurance claims submission. Please check your policy for reimbursement when working with an out-of-network provider.
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