Family Therapy in Friendship Heights, Washington, DC

I am co-director with my wife, Deany Laliotis, of the EMDR therapy training program, The Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy, Inc. We have trained many of the EMDR therapists listed on the Psychology Today DC/MD/VA website as well as therapists around the world. I specialize in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and difficulties related to normal life-cycle challenges. I have been practicing EMDR since it's introduction 30 years ago and I am offering services to clients who might benefit from brief EMDR therapy.

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.

My specialty is helping individuals to work to remove challenges to achieving satisfaction in their lives. Many times we find ourselves stuck in patterns that are self-defeating but seem difficult to change. These may cause us problems in school and work, as well as in our peer and family relationships, and interfere with the enjoyment of pleasurable activities. These patterns may be due to our early experiences within our families, or as a result of challenges faced in adolescence and adulthood. No matter your age or phase of life, therapy can help.

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.

Welcome to my practice!. What ever your needs, I approach our work with zest and empathy which comes from broad experience working in psychiatric and health settings. Whether with problems of elderly, families,couples or people facing job loss, academic problems, illness, bereavement, trauma or the loneliness of anxiety and depression, psychotherapy can bring relief and find inner strengths and possibilities. I focus especially on communication skills, and deprograming early dysfunctional messages which interfere with forming relationships in all aspects of life. Together we will meet your immediate needs and begin a longer journey towards fulfilling your deepest aspirations.

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.

The pandemic has challenged our connection to those we love, to finding and sustaining new friendships, to our sense of belonging. For some of us, depression and anxiety are affecting us as never before. How can we get our needs met during this time of uncertainty? I believe that together we can make a plan to live our best possible life, keeping hope in our hearts, connecting with our loved ones, adapting and adjusting to this new world.

My belief that the therapeutic relationship is the key element of successful treatment informs my practice. This working relationship, based on mutual trust and shared goals, allows for self-exploration and ultimately personal growth. In working with individuals, couples, families and/or groups I think that connecting the dots between past and present allows the client to have a better grasp on what is influencing her/his feelings and life choices leading to greater empowerment and life satisfaction.

I am an experienced psychotherapist trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I received my advanced training at the Washington Center for Psychoanalysis. I have been practicing for 20 years and work with adults ages 20 and over. I have worked extensively with patients suffering from depression, anxiety, relationship issues, work related problems, marital issues and issues of low self esteem. I also have an expertise in couples therapy.

In my 20 years of clinical, academic, and advocacy experience, I have worked with clients who present with a wide range of issues. I specialize in recovery from trauma (particularly childhood abuse/neglect, sexual assault and domestic violence), successful movement through life transitions (young adulthood, career, parenthood, mid-life and loss), and repair of interpersonal relationships (including a specialty in couples therapy). I have advanced training in both trauma treatment and couples therapy, which uniquely positions me to treat couples where one or both partners have a trauma history.

Infidelity? Porn addiction? Sex addiction? Trauma? All of these issues can be tough to deal with, but I can help. I have specialized training so that you're not wasting your time and money. Not just talk, talk, talk that gets you nowhere. I used evidence-based treatments so that you're feeling better soon. As a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), a Certified Partner Trauma Therapist (CPTT), and a Certified Multiple Addiction Therapist (CMAT), I'm trained in many addictions, including substances. Most therapists aren't trained in all these issues. I offer EMDR, as well. There is hope. Together, we'll figure things out.

Combining her backgrounds in psychoanalysis and couples' training, Dr. Deborah Hecker has created a cutting-edge counseling process called Yours, Mine, Ours: Partnership Done Right. Her goals with her clients are twofold: to simultaneously help people to develop their unique identities and how to successfully integrate them into outstanding relationships.

When we are struggling with our mental health, the question often asked is “What’s wrong with you?” instead of “What happened to you?” Sadly, many people who have reached out for help have found themselves shamed, invalidated, and in worse shape than they were before. My goal is to provide an affirming and safe therapeutic environment for all identities, and I welcome individuals who are trying therapy for the first time, as well as those who have had previous experiences. I regularly work with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and life transitions.

Hello. In my practice I work with clients on relationship issues, anxiety, depression and related difficulties. I am a Clinical Psychologist and have worked at the University my entire career doing clinical research, mentoring, supervising, teaching, training and doing therapy. I keep up with empirically based approaches in the field of Psychology/ Psychiatry and integrate new developments into my work. I am licensed in Washington, DC and have a PSYPACT license for video therapy in most states. I look forward to meeting you!

I work with individual adults and couples in a supportive, constructive, and empathetic way. My style is encouraging, warm, and insightful. With over 20 years experience, I offer a safe environment in which to explore options for improving functioning and moving towards fulfillment of one's values and life goals.

It's essential for you to feel understood by your therapist. I strive to create an environment characterized by safety, trust, mutual respect, and even humor. The bond we form allows you to take the emotional risks necessary for deep exploration and enduring change. I offer a free consultation to help you decide if we'd be a good fit. Please join me for a cup of tea to share your story, chart a course for how we might work together, and ask any questions about therapy and how I can help you.

People seek psychotherapy feeling unhappy or helpless to bring about change in their life or fulfill their dreams. Patients are overcome with symptoms of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse or other problems, which in reality are unconscious defenses, blocking repressed feelings about something that went wrong, often in childhood, which is not yet resolved. These defenses once were adaptive, by protecting and helping them survive, but are no longer effective. I help people work through their underlying grief and face their feelings (sadness, anger, disappointment, yearning, powerlessness) surrounding trauma or loss, enabling them to engage in more free, authentic, satisfying lives.

I team with adults, children, and parents to create solutions and awaken aspects of themselves they would like to grow. We work together to heal past pain, strengthen, and to build a fresh start. Our sessions will allow you to take time for yourself to step away from the expectations and pressures of the outside world so that you can feel, see, and build a stronger self. Taking a break from work, school, and life for one or two sessions a week allows for clarity of mind, strengthening of self, and a generation of a new mindset. I will work as your guide in providing you the tools you need to live your life more fully.

Clients come to me when they are dissatisfied with their lives and/or overwhelmed by a situation or stressor. I view therapy as a collaborative endeavor and work together with you to develop a treatment which incorporates your strengths, needs and life experiences. I also respect your wish to work on a specific area of concern short-term and/or to address a variety of complex issues over time. During the treatment, my clients report that they feel safe, supported and challenged by me, and that their lives are highly enriched by the experience. (See actual reviews by clients at Healthgrades.com.)