Couples Therapists in Washington, DC

Dr. Gadsden is a licensed psychology associate and a culturally competent insight-oriented psychotherapist with over 17 years of experience in providing therapy to individuals, couples , and families. He earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2012 from Howard University. He previously earned his master’s degree in 2005 from Teachers College, Columbia University. His diverse career and training include over 17 years in academia, teaching and training both master’s level and doctoral level students, and conducting research and producing scholarship focused on masculinity and emotional intimacy.

Would you like to feel less depressed or anxious? Are you worried your teenager is struggling at home or school? Has accepting yourself or coming out as LGBTQ been difficult? Are you having a hard time connecting with your partner or recovering from infidelity? Therapy can help—especially when you feel stuck, like you've tried everything, or are out of options. My approach to therapy is warm and collaborative. I enjoy creating a supportive environment for you to discover new possibilities for growth and transformation. I work with individuals, couples , and families with diverse backgrounds and issues.

If you are seeking to enhance your life by building connection, confidence, character, and community, I invite you to contact me so we can begin the journey together. I work primarily from a Cognitive-Behavioral approach, which is a short-term, results-oriented method. Integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, I support my clients with becoming who they desire to be. These evidence-based treatments are especially effective for depression and anxiety.

Psychotherapy is a process of finding meaning in life and developing a sense of purpose. I believe that people can reach their full potential within a safe, empathic and confidential therapeutic relationship. I am a seasoned clinician with 35 years in the field, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the work. My style is interactive and collaborative. My task is to work with you to change negative beliefs and behaviors that are preventing you from enjoying a life of personal satisfaction and fulfillment.

So many of us have trouble making decisions or deepening relationships, because we learned to connect with others needs above our own. While this was highly adaptive, and even necessary in the past, it can lead to a sense of disconnection and restlessness. Relationally this may manifest as disappointment or unexpressed conflict, due to an engrained pattern of avoidance. In this state, it is difficult to know what actions to take towards change. Reaching out for help, though imperative, can be just as challenging as continuing in the pain. This is what causes most of my clients to reach out.

As a clinical psychologist trained in intensive psychotherapy and counseling, I focus primarily on you as a person, not on your disorder or illness. Even if the reason you seek treatment is depression, anxiety, relationship issues or addictive behaviors, that is not who you are- it is only the form that your problems take. In our therapy work together we will need to understand who you are fundamentally - your unique strengths, issues, and needs. Our shared understanding of your complexities will then tell us precisely what approach to take to healing your problems.

You just want to get through the day without thinking about the bad, stop overthinking, or feeling overwhelmed. Wondering what it takes to feel motivated again or not feel alone even when you are in a room full of people. Perhaps something is missing in your relationships or feeling you have imposter syndrome in your career. You just want to get through the day without feeling paralyzed or having fear about the future. It may feel so difficult to get back to the excitement you once had.

I draw on more than 30 years of experience and learning in the practice and teaching of individual, group, and couples therapy. I work with a broad variety of adult clients, whose circumstances are quite varied. Nevertheless, they generally share a common aspiration ~ to discover within themselves a more vital, passionate, and creative approach to meeting life's challenges. My intention as a therapist is to establish ~ through active engagement, compassion, humor and insight ~ a safe and authentic collaboration in pursuit of your aspirations for growth and personal fulfillment. My approach integrates elements of the best, well-established therapeutic approaches, tailored to your unique needs and challenges.

People seek therapy when they are unhappy with how they are feeling or functioning. Sometimes you can identify the experiences connected to your suffering. Other times, the reasons for suffering are more elusive, but the associated symptoms (depression, anxiety, unfulfilling relationships, for example) are nevertheless extremely distressing. In both cases, talking to understand the deeper reasons for suffering can help. The self-awareness you discover this way is the most powerful tool to create a more fulfilling life. It can take time to build the trust required to talk and think in a freer way.

As a Latino Queer Therapist, I have learned that understanding the intersections of my identities and how I show up in multiple spaces has been imperative to my personal growth and my understanding of belonging.  Growing up, I always felt othered and often times unwanted. Therapy for me is about learning to understand our inner dialogues, validate our emotional experiences, and effect change in a way that is consistent with our desired narrative.  

In psychotherapy, the therapist and client commit to work together to facilitate change. My goal is to provide a safe and nonjudgmental space as we focus on issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, adjustment, sexual identity/LGBTQ concerns, and traditional/non-traditional relationships. My approach to therapy is both holistic and mindful. I view the client as a whole, focusing on the need to bring the mind, body, and spirit into harmony while each element plays a role in healing and the creation of change.

As children, we are learning from interactions with our parents who we are and how to fit into the world around us. After we leave home, we become our own parents as we continue to learn about ourselves and how to find our own place in life. And when we have families of our own, we are now parents both for our children and for ourselves, as we continue to understand more about who we are. I provide a warm, empathic and accepting environment where you can explore your current life challenges, as well as address past issues that impact your everyday life.

I provide a confidential setting where straight & gay couples can address matters of the heart. I help you figure out what's wrong and consider what to do about it. The length of therapy varies from one-time consultations to long-term treatment, depending on your problem, interest, and resources. I work well with couples who fear they may not be able to go on together. I also enjoy working with recovering alcoholics and addicts, supporting their integration of therapy with the wisdom and fellowship of the Twelve Steps.

I am here to help you improve and heal your relationships with yourself and with the important people in your life. Perhaps you and your partner need help learning to communicate better and reach greater understanding and connection. Or perhaps you are facing important life transitions and challenges. I am compassionate, collaborative, and interactive, working with couples , individuals and groups. I also have extensive experience treating a wide range of other problems, including: depression, anxiety, relationship endings, family difficulties, trauma recovery, grief, self-esteem issues, and stage of life and identity concerns.

Through 25 years' experience in university, hospital and outpatient settings, I have developed specializations in Trauma & Abuse, Sexual & Relationship Violence, Women's Empowerment, Mindful Living, & the College Experience. Trained by a pioneer in complex trauma treatment, I assist survivors regain their sense of security and self. My past career research informs my continuing passion for mentoring women in their multiple roles and across their lifespans. I help individuals, couples & groups manage stress, anxiety, depression, and pain; navigate major life events and losses; & repair/strengthen their relationships.

Teens | Families | Individual therapy | Couples therapy. I am a Clinical Psychologist specializing in providing individual, family, and couples therapy. I specialize in treating mood disturbance (including major depression and bipolar disorder), anxiety and stress, traumatic experiences, behavioral impulsivity, and race-related traumatic stress. I also treat stress stemming from life changes, including relationship changes, grief, job loss or difficulties at work, and other life transitions such as divorces or separations and supporting parents and teens navigating the many changes surrounding the teenage years.

I am a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology and I have a practice in Existential l Psychotherapy for individuals and couples . I also offer cognitive experiential psychotherapy as well as clinical hypnosis. At one time I was Director of Psychology Training at the University of Maryland Medical School and on the faculty of Johns Hopkins. I completed post doctoral work at The University of Leuven, I teach post graduate seminars in Existential and Experiential Psychotherapy to psychotherapist at The Washington Center for Consciousness Studies. I have many publications. These papers can be found on rudolphbauer.academia. edu.

The Community Counseling Services Center (CCSC) is a training clinic located at The George Washington University, near the Foggy Bottom metro. We provide affordable mental health counseling services to individuals within the Washington, DC metro area. We offer evidence-based individual, family, career, and couples counseling to address a wide variety of mental health concerns, relationship issues, and interpersonal challenges. Our clinicians are master’s students in our Clinical Mental Health and Rehabilitation Counseling programs and doctoral students in our Counseling and Supervision Ph.D. program.

My areas of expertise include: (1) Adolescents and adults having difficulties managing stress, anxiety and worries, depression, and interpersonal problems. (2) Adolescents with challenges in their social relationships, academic motivation, and behavioral adjustment. Depending on the situation, I may address such problems with individual therapy, family therapy, or parenting work. (3) Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in youth and adults: providing useful skills and techniques for living a more productive and satisfying life with ADHD. (4) Couple therapy: Helping couples to improve communication, rebuild or deepen trust or intimacy, or understand and re-shape unsatisfying or distressing patterns of interaction.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the District of Columbia. I have extensive experience working with children and teenagers ages 5-18, as well as adults 18+. I have worked with individuals who experience grief, anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, anger outbursts, and stage of life transitions. I also have experience working with couples and families who are experiencing ineffective communication styles, anxiety, depression, and trauma.