Therapists in Washington, DC

I help individuals work on life issues tied to anxiety and depression, relationship difficulties, stress symptoms tied to childhood trauma, and families struggling with behavioral challenges. I teach communication skills that help with difficult relationships. These skills include helping my clients improve their power, voice, and contact with significant others. I employ many approaches in psychotherapy, including psychodynamic, gestalt, somatic experiencing (SE), accelerated experiential dynamic (AEDP), cognitive behavioral (CBT) and emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT).

“Warm and compassionate with a no-nonsense approach” is how my clients describe me. I have been working with children and adolescents for over 25 years and as a licensed clinical social worker for 15 years. I provide therapy to children, adolescents, adults and families. My broad range of experience includes helping clients struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, gender identity & issues related to sexual orientation. I have the unique experience of guiding families through grief and issues related to chronic illness such as HIV and cancer. Often, I engage the whole family to address communication barriers.

Life is full of challenges and sometimes we can get support from friends and family but often that comes with well intentioned but sometimes unsolicited advice or you need to choose what you say or not say in order to protect loved ones feelings. Sometimes you want and need to externalize your thoughts and feelings without having to filter them. I offer adult therapy that is strengths based and solution focused in a warm environment. I can help you identify the root causes of your struggles and implement changes so you feel more content. I also offer parenting work that strengthens parents skill sets.

I'm a dedicated Licensed Professional Counselor with a passion for fostering growth and resilience in individuals and families. My aim is to provide a nurturing and supportive environment where clients of all ages can explore their inner worlds, overcome challenges, and discover their innate potential for healing and transformation. Whether you're seeking therapy for yourself or your child, adolescent, or family unit, I tailor my approach to meet your specific needs and goals. I work with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, anger, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, low self-esteem, trauma, drug and alcohol use and more.

Therapy can be an intimidating process, and my goal is to provide an open, safe environment to help instill support, understanding and empowerment throughout your therapeutic journey. Whether you’re looking to build confidence as an individual or within your relationship, together we can build the tools you need to succeed. I believe in fostering hope and creating a safe space for individuals/couples/families to process, as well as find healthy solutions.My passion is helping others find confidence within themselves, and/or within relationships.

Life has its ups and downs. You want to have the skills, resources, and supports to weather whatever the world throws at you and you want that for your family too. As strong and resourceful as we are, no one has the ability to manage everything, all the time. Every now and then, any one of us could use a little extra help. Maybe you have been feeling more stressed. Maybe you are going through a major life change. Maybe there have been concerns about your child’s development or behavior. Maybe you or your loved one has been diagnosed with a learning or developmental disability, or you want to know more about ADHD, Autism, or Anxiety.

Results-oriented, compassionate and "Relentless work ethic" are words patients have described me. I take a "whatever it takes empathic attitude" serving patients suffering from depression, psychosis, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, and family dysfunction. I spent my most of my career practicing in DC's Ward 7 and Ward 8 servicing DC's most vulnerable lower income populations. I have experience with The Department of Behavior Health as a crisis supervisor, ACT clinical supervisor and a Child/Adult psychotherapist.

For over 35 years, I have helped clients understand and work through a wide variety of life challenges. I provide a safe place and an experienced ear to explore such issues as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, health problems, self-esteem challenges and career struggles. I also work with many clients on relationship issues, be they couples, marital, family, work or social in nature. My style is warm, sensitive, active, and insightful. I help my clients understand and find solutions to their struggles, while helping them create more healthy, balanced and satisfying lives.

Clients with a strong desire to fix their relationships in the most profound ways fit well with my practice .This is true even if you don’t know what is wrong or your partner disagrees about what the problem is. The change is not just communication patterns but also underlying intense emotional distress or explosive patterns of expression. We address complaints such as lack of sex or affection or emotional withdrawal.We stop couples from divorce and fix communication problems by training partners how to best be supportive and to understand underlying psychological messages unwittingly communicated between partners.

Please note that all sessions are via tele-medicine. I believe that clients seeking counseling services desire tools for living a better life, and I strive to provide those tools. I do not push change on clients, but rather helps them articulate how they want their lives to be, and then collaboratively set out to put the foundation in place to create that life. I feel that clients gain the most from the counseling experience when they feel supported, encouraged, and understood by their therapist. This process works best in a warm, empathetic, and non-judgmental space, which I provide.

Adult clients come to me when feeling stuck, anxious or depressed. Others are coping with trauma, loss, relationship issues, parenting struggles, or a major life change. Using a variety of approaches, I help clients gain insight and self-acceptance, to navigate life transitions from a position of strength, to grow in relationships, and to make meaning from loss. Therapy is a wonderful form of self-care. Whether you are in crisis or just feeling stuck, I strive to be an honest, accepting, and active partner in your journey to greater fulfillment.

Life has the ability to impact our physical, mental and emotional wellness. I am an avid believer that therapy has the ability to promote wellness throughout the challenges that each of us face. Do you ever find yourself battling negative thoughts? Feeling overwhelmed with trying to cope with feelings? Are you in need of a space where you can feel seen and heard? Whether you are facing loss, traumas, family conflict, life transitions or difficulty with social wellness, my collaborative and supportive style supports you as you work toward your wellness goals.

Have you or a member of your family experienced a trauma, suffered a loss or are having trouble overcoming past events? I meet all children, individuals and families where they are. I try to put everyone at ease, answer all your questions and begin to instill hope that the problems will get better. I also have a specialty in forensic psychology and can put my assessment and clinical skills to use in the courtroom to help you achieve justice in the criminal or civil arena.

I provide a positive and supportive approach to helping children, adolescents, adults and families who are navigating a variety of emotional or transitional challenges, including anxiety, mood disorders, school issues, family conflict and other sources of stress or disruption that may affect daily functioning or emotional well-being. I apply a person-centered and strength-based approach which involves respecting and encouraging a client's own goals and perspectives. I also work closely with parents to help identify practical and personalized strategies and interventions to address the many challenges that come with raising children and teenagers.

I am an integrative psychotherapist who is known for having a sincere, relaxed, and comfortable approach towards counseling. Serving a wide range of clients in a variety of treatment settings, I provide individual, family, and group counseling to both adolescent and adult populations. My practice focus includes a broad range of emotional, behavioral, and adjustment disorders such as: depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship and family conflict, and general phase of life changes.

I specialize in therapy for children and teens facing behavioral and emotional challenges, as well as supporting their parents. If your child's intense emotions or behaviors are overwhelming, or if your teen is struggling with defiance, social challenges, or managing their feelings, know that you're not alone. My balanced approach focuses on helping your child or teen express and regulate their emotions positively, while equally empowering you as a parent with effective strategies for guidance and support. Together, we'll work towards building stronger family dynamics and individual emotional resilience.

I work with adults, adolescents and children to create a safe space in which to explore and understand struggles, develop healthy coping skills, and cultivate fulfilling relationships. I bring my understanding of development across the life span, listening skills, and a commitment to help each individual feel understood, supported, and challenged to move toward healing, growth, and the change they desire.

Our goal at Hyacinth Wellness is to help clients identify obstacles and understand their needs and strengths to achieve personal growth and success within relationships and life goals. We assess current life circumstances, family and medical history, and the larger social context to promote self-awareness and a collaborative plan of growth and change.

My approach to therapy is to create a context in which individuals, couples and families can know themselves in terms of their inherent strengths, competencies and capacities. I believe that when people experience themselves this way, they are most able to deal with stress, disruption, anxiety and depression in their lives. In my work with families and couples, I focus on interpersonal connection and work to help people experience the ways in which they make a positive difference to one another.