Therapists in Columbia, MD

Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, stressed, stuck, going through a divorce, or having any other problem in your life and you feel like you need help, you can reach out to me. I can help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, self-esteem, co-dependency, stress and many other Mental Health Issues.

My therapeutic approach is to work with you identifying your potential and the factors that maybe preventing you from achieving your goals. Together we will find and tailor the best therapeutic intervention to assist you. I am a culturally sensitive therapist with ample experience working with the Latino/Hispanic community as well as the Brazilian community. I also offer supervision for LGPCs and for LCPCs. I have 41 years of clinical experience initially as a physician and psychiatrist in Brazil, my birth country, and subsequently as a psychotherapist in the United States.

As my practice’s name implies, we can all feel broken at times. And to compound matters, we might face discrimination through no fault of our own—on the basis of race, sexual orientation, gender, finances, age, health or ability status, or neurocognitive differences. In my years of practice with the chronically ill and under-housed, I’ve seen and addressed the fallout from stigma and institutional barriers all day every day. So that’s the bad news, which you probably already know.

It’s not just that you don’t rock the boat, it’s that you steady the boat while it's being rocked by others. And you are nothing if not determined. So why that unsettled panicky flutter in bed? You know the one.... mild nausea and critical thoughts on loop while sleep escapes you. The truth is, steadying the boat gives you a perception of control. A sense that everything will be okay if you can just keep up the façade of okay. But these days the exhaustion is bone deep. At this point you have tried everything from meditation to medication to whitewashed therapy filled with worksheets and more pressure to preform.

I am a Ph.D. level Licensed Psychologist who has been in the field of psychology for over 20 years. I provide individual/couple therapy to adults with various concerns, including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, loss, work related stress, and cross-cultural adjustment. I provide psychotherapy in English, Portuguese, and Spanish and have a special interest in working with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Prior to my current professional activities, I spent several years at the Department of Psychology of the George Washington University working with young adults and doing research with NIH.

I seek to help individuals, couples and families build stronger and healthier relationships. The family system is complex and dynamic. There are many configurations and possibilities. I will work as hard as you to help you identify and break out of destructive patterns. If you are ready to live your life fully authentically, with meaning and purpose, I would love to work with you to get there. I provide therapy in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Our self-perception and interpersonal perspectives are intricately molded by our past experiences, with childhood and adolescence exerting significant influence on this developmental process. Ideally, individuals should emerge from these formative stages with a robust sense of confidence, a feeling of security, and proficient problem-solving abilities as they navigate the complexities of the world. However, the occurrence of traumatic experiences can disrupt these capacities. Instead of being firmly grounded in the present, our attention is diverted towards the shadows of past distress,

How does anyone choose a therapist? The variety of options are daunting, and while many, many people have been to or go to a therapist, it is not a topic easily discussed, so it can be hard to find a recommendation. Many people resort to picking the person whose face looked nice, or went to a school they recognize, or work in a convenient location or accept their insurance. Often these techniques are sufficient, but when they are not it is a great loss, as it takes so much courage to look for a therapist in the first place.

The goal of therapy isn’t to ‘feel better’, although that should be one of the outcomes. The suffering we experience is rarely a defective malfunctioning of the brain- it is in response to real challenges and is an important way to prepare ourselves for a developmental leap. When we are suffering, our brains release hormones that promote ‘neuroplasticity’, our minds begin to reexamine outdated narratives, and our relationships are challenged with the need for deeper vulnerability.

We see individuals, families and couples in DC, MD, VA, PA, and FL. We provide an encouraging, warm and open environment to help learn more about yourself and heal from the root up. We identify when negative patterns began and guide you to lead a happier and more peaceful life.

There are times in life when it is difficult to believe that we will ever reach our dreams, hopes, goals, or have the future for which we had hoped. We may be feeling stuck, lonely, and unable to develop or access our wisdom and strengths. Too often, challenging life situations or decisions made in the past tend to have a lasting effect on our lives. I believe that everyone has the capacity to grow, change and heal our relationships with ourselves, our significant others, and those around us.