Psychodynamic Therapists in Washington, DC

I'm skilled in helping clients who are dealing with but not limited to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, relationship issues, anger and stress management. My theorectical approaches help my clients acquire new, necessary skills and ways of learning how to be more self aware in order to promote self actualization to help change behaviors that cause problems in their daily lives. My therapeutic practices help my clients look at their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I help my clients replace negative thoughts with more positive and realistic ones. Everyday is a second chance!

I am a clinical social worker, practicing since 1993, and have accumulated a breadth of professional experience working with children, adolescents, and adults through various stages of life. My approach is warm, engaging, collaborative and positive, with an initial goal of developing a trusting and supportive connection. Together, we will then create a treatment strategy that is tailored to you. Regardless of the approach, I strive to create a safe space that invites honesty, insight, creativity and even humor. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of therapy, I welcome the opportunity to offer my assistance.

In times like these, mental health can be a fragile thing. You might be feeling sad, stressed, anxious, detached, irritable, or just plain ground down. The one thing you don’t feel like is yourself. Under the surface of your day-to-day burdens, there may be deeper concerns calling for your attention. Perhaps your relationships are stagnant or suffering. An old betrayal or grief might keep coming up. However it looks, you deserve to live in better conditions. We can help you stretch your innate capacity to live a life with more freedom, choice, and possibility.

We all have a unique journey in life, as individuals and as couples, and I believe that our resilience is as unique as our journey. I work with clients to help them overcome distressing cycles that make them feel stuck and empower them to find stability, create healthier relationships and live an enriched life. Together we explore underlying emotions and find new ways of coping with past traumas, difficult life transitions, loss, relational distress and other mental health issues. While EMDR, mindfulness and cultural sensitivity are at the core of my practice, I also integrate Psychodynamic and CBT interventions.

I work with children, adolescents, and adults. I specialize in attachment, conflictive relationships, life transitions, anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD and executive functioning deficits. I have experience working with children that struggle with behavior and emotional dysregulation. I provide family therapy to support parents in managing behavioral challenges at home and can also provide coaching to their teachers. As a Play Therapist Supervisor and board approved supervisor in Maryland, I offer clinical consultation and trainings to other mental health professionals.

I have more than 25 years of experience in Clinical Psychology divided between both sides of the Atlantic. My professional and personal experience helps me relate to the culturally diverse and globally minded population of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Over the years, after graduating from a mostly research oriented graduate program in Psychology, I pursued intensive training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, Group and Family Psychotherapy, and Psychoanalysis. I am certain that Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, correctly applied, can lead to the most dramatic and long lasting changes in patient's lives.

I've found that the most crucial part of therapy is establishing a comfortable, collaborative therapeutic relationship and alliance. My goal is to create a safe, judgement-free space for a treatment experience that will be meaningful, healing, and supportive for a journey of self-discovery towards your goals and aspirations.

My goal is to help clients address and to cope with the complex challenges they face in their lives. These challenges include but are not limited to anxiety, depression, loss of a loved one, relationship problems, self esteem issues, trauma and abuse. I work efficiently and effectively to help motivated clients identify and understand what are often unconscious defenses to experiencing feelings.

There are circumstances in life that can lead people to feel anxious, depressed, stuck, or otherwise emotionally troubled. You may find yourself in patterns of unhealthy behaviors, thoughts or relationships that you can't seem to change.

I work collaboratively with my clients to honor who they are, help make sense of their emotional responses to daily experiences, and guide them to become more authentic in their relationships. My approach is nonjudgmental, reflective and oftentimes playful. During our sessions, I help clients make connections between current problems and past struggles. Understanding these patterns builds self-awareness and helps create more adaptive ways of coping with stress and relating to others.

Therapy is a journey through which we find our authentic selves and become the best we can be. I have expertise in working with alcoholism, addictions, and recovery issues; and with relationship, couple and family issues. I have worked in the field for over twenty years. I work with adults and adolescents, in individual, couple and family modalities. My approach is to meet you where you are, and to help you to move towards your goals, overcome obstacles, and achieve maximum growth. I use several therapeutic approaches, including cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic , and strengths-based techniques. Website: practicaltherapy.net.

My approach to therapy is compassionate, collaborative, holistic and individualized, meeting you where you are. I am passionate about the process of therapy and will help you to develop insight, identify and reach your goals and enhance wellness. I specialize in treating couples and individuals coping with mental health and relationship concerns. My aim is to engage in collaboration to illuminate, foster insight and clarify what is within as well as the path ahead.

Choosing the right therapist is critical to achieving real results. I strive to create a compassionate and safe space where you can realize your strengths and full potential. At the same time, I use an honest and direct approach to help you achieve your goals. I work with children, teens, and adults in individual therapy and also offer parent coaching. My ultimate goal is for you to leave therapy feeling empowered, confident, and armed with the tools you need to create a life you love. I feel privileged in helping my clients on their journey to creating healthier relationships with themselves and others.

Do you feel “stuck” in repeating patterns? Do you long for a change but can’t seem to make it happen? Or have you recently made a big transition and need help adjusting? Has trauma – either a one-time life event, or an ongoing stressful situation – stopped you from living fully? I help individuals and couples identify goals and the barriers to reaching them. With a collaborative and supportive approach you will find purpose, confidence, and belonging. My approach emphasizes self- determination and collaboration, drawing on evidence-based talk therapies and mind-body approaches like EMDR, mindfulness meditation, and yoga.

Therapy can empower you to cope with and improve a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, relationships, loss, low self-esteem, past trauma, identity issues, and insecurities. My gentle, strengths-based approach will help you recognize the best in yourself and tolerate difficult feelings, while promoting changes in your life. I have a nonjudgmental attitude and appreciate each individual's cultural, spiritual, and family backgrounds. My style is collaborative and respectful; together we will consider how experiences from the past intersect with the present and focus on what is most meaningful to you now.

Donna Schwartz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has maintained a private practice in Washington, DC for over 25 years. She has over 30 years of experience helping individuals and couples. Donna specializes in the treatment of anxiety, binge eating disorder, couple's counseling to include pre-marital counseling, infertility, pregnancy, postpartum anxiety and depression. In addition to being a prominent psychotherapist, Ms. Schwartz is an Assistant Clinical Professor at George Washington University's School of Medicine and Health Sciences since 2010.

Inspired by the passion of the clinical field, I became Professional Counselor to help people improving their quality of living. It means that it does no matter what the initial phase of the persons existing living arrangements, the quality of life can be improved through professional counseling. My diverse and intense professional working experience added to the qualified academic, and certified credentials gained; makes me a valuable, suitable and responsible therapist with a strong understanding of human behavior in extreme situations that provides private and confidential therapy, safe environment of treatment, and ethical standards of practice for all clients.

At times, we struggle through life’s challenges, perhaps feeling stuck or unsure of the path forward. Maybe you’re going through a stressful transition, burdened by emotional pain, or just have an inkling that life isn’t going “right.” Psychotherapy can help you navigate life’s difficulties and cope more effectively. My focus is to understand your concerns, help you consider underlying causes, work on making better choices and increase your sense of control over unwanted behaviors and thoughts. Regardless of the intensity, severity, and frequency of your concerns, nothing is too small or too big to benefit from psychotherapy.