Staff

Dr. Boney, Experienced Counselor

Dr. Virginia Boney is one of only two Certified Gottman Couples Counselors in the Southeast United States, and one of four Certified Emotion-Focused Couples Counselors in Florida. Her academic studies at Vanderbilt University and the University of Florida, in addition to years of post-doctoral training and supervision, strengthen her expertise as a therapist specializing in research-supported treatment approaches to work with couples and individuals.

The former Director of Training and Supervision for the University of North Florida Counseling Center, Dr. Boney has extensive experience providing clinical supervision to graduate counseling students. Additionally, she teaches graduate counseling classes in couples' counseling to students at UNF. She is also certified by the Gottman Institute to present Level I training in Gottman Couples' Counseling to therapists and graduate counseling students.

Specializations

Her specialization in relationships extends beyond couples to include:

Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence
Codependency

Depression & Anxiety
Anger Management

Divorce & Blended Families
Single Parenting

Family of Origin Issues

Published Works

Dr. Boney has also published articles in Marriage and Family Review and The Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, as well as several articles in scholarly journals:

Dissertation

Her doctoral dissertation Predictors of Cognitive Hardiness in Young Adult Offspring of Parental Divorce examined the impact of maternal and paternal nurturance, parental disciplinary style, paternal disciplinary style, and inter-parental conflict post-divorce on the development of cognitive hardiness. This is a transformational coping style that generates adaptive coping cognitions that reduce the impact of threats and challenges to well-being. Feel free to read the dissertation.