Xihlovo Mabunda, MS, LPC

About Xihlovo

If parts of you have been hidden away — tucked behind what feels safe, what others expect, or what you’ve told yourself you should be — I want to help you bring them into the room. I work with people who are ready to explore what’s been pushed down, whether that’s the aftermath of trauma, disconnection from their body, or intimacy that doesn’t feel like it belongs to them.

I grew up in South Africa, where I learned early that people carry enormous weight in silence — and that something powerful happens when they’re invited to use their voice in a space that feels safe. That understanding is the foundation of everything I do as a clinician. I encourage people to step into difficult and meaningful conversations in ways that feel non-threatening and empowering.

“As a clinician whose practice is rooted in social justice, I emphasize your right to take up space and embody authentic connections with yourself.”

Xihlovo Mabunda, MS, LPC, Therapist DC

My Approach

I draw primarily on psychodynamic therapy, EMDR, and sex therapy — and what ties them together is a deep respect for the body. Psychodynamic work helps us understand the patterns you’ve been living inside, many of which started long before you had words for them. EMDR helps process the trauma and distressing experiences that stay stuck in the nervous system. And sex therapy creates space to address intimacy, desire, body image, and sexual identity without shame or judgment.

I want to foster a space that allows for profound improvement and change while still welcoming joy and lightness. Therapy doesn’t have to feel heavy every session. Sometimes the most important work happens when you finally let yourself breathe.

My clinical lens is shaped by social justice — which means I pay attention to how systems, culture, and identity affect your inner world. I work with people navigating questions about cultural identity, gender, sexuality, and what it means to be fully yourself in spaces that haven’t always made room for you. I don’t assume. I listen, and I let you lead.

I’ve worked across settings that most people never see — recovery programs, community mental health, and experiential trauma therapy at the Phoenix Center, where I also supervise newer clinicians. That breadth means I’m comfortable with complexity. I love the ability to challenge and be challenged by others, and I hold my role as a therapist — witnessing and celebrating change — as one of the great privileges of this work.