Therapists in Abingdon, MD

In my 25 years as a therapist I've successfully treated clients navigating life's inevitable transitions (graduation, relocation, marriage, divorce, career change, a break-up, major decisions, etc.), as well as those experiencing various forms of anxiety. I have lived experience with blended families and understand the complexities of parenting, partnering, and growing up within that framework. I work first to understand each person's unique set of circumstances, and then to identify strengths on which we can build to help clients lead happier, more joy-filled lives. Life is far too precious and short to lead a "meh" existence.

No matter what you are struggling with, finding a safe space to explore your concerns is important to improving your mental and emotional health. Whether you are working through gender or sexuality concerns, past or current trauma, anxiety, grief and loss, or a major life transition, my goal is to help you improve your mental and emotional well-being. As an affirming, mindfulness-based therapist, I focus on working collaboratively with my clients in order to achieve their short- and long-term goals, while respecting each client’s individual experiences and background.

“It wasn’t that bad. I should get over it.” Does that sound familiar? Many people shame themselves for being hurt by the past. Shame doesn’t stop the suffering, regardless of what caused that pain. I am a therapist committed to helping people overcome stressful or traumatic experiences so that they can live better lives. Working with me involves finding the root of the problem, like when your inner critic first took hold, and weeding it out. I primarily use EMDR for this, which allows people to process the trauma without having to give details about it.

Are you feeling invisible? Angry about a breakup? Have you recently experienced a loss/death? Do you feel misunderstood? Are you experiencing more pain, burnout, and/or fatigue than normal? Does your adolescent need extra support? Is your family/relationship falling apart? If your answer to any of these questions is "Yes," or even if you have questions of your own, it may be time to reach out and talk through those thoughts and feelings. I would be delighted to be the person you reach out to.

Do you believe that events from your past get in the way of experiencing joy in the present? Do you wish to have healthier and more satisfying relationships? Do you struggle with ways of thinking that you have a hard time changing? I believe I can help. I am a licensed clinical social worker with 27 years of experience and have helped many people find increased life satisfaction by challenging old beliefs and finding new ways of thinking about themselves.

I use warmth, non-judgmental curiosity, and authenticity to cultivate a nurturing collaborative space where we can understand how your familial, relational, and cultural experiences shape your lived experience. With this insight, we can help you develop greater confidence in making the changes you’d like to live an intentional and meaningful life. I integrate attachment theory, trauma-informed interventions, mindfulness techniques, and multicultural/systems perspectives in therapy.

Are you almost ready to give up the possibility that life could be better, that life does not have to be full of internal struggle? Do you want your self-talk to be one that lifts you up and focuses on savoring the positives in your life rather than tearing you down, focusing on the disappointments in your life? Would you want sadness, worries, or anger to not have undue influence on you and not control your life. If yes, it is time to make a choice and reach out to someone who can guide and support you to a better experience of life and a more preferred self.

It is with sensitivity and warmth that I work with people struggling with such issues as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, relationship difficulties, life transitions, and family problems. Psychotherapy is an interactive, creative, exciting process, and together we can work toward change. We can also focus on your strengths and build a stronger sense of self-esteem and self-awareness. I genuinely communicate my care and concern for each of my clients, allowing for greater comfort in opening up and forming a deep therapeutic alliance in a safe, supportive environment.

Intimacy Injuries are rampant and even normalized in today’s environment. Whether these emotional wounds show up in regards to your relationship with yourself, your significant others, or your family members; the opportunity to ameliorate those hurts is here! In my work as a Psychotherapist, I specialize in Sex, Intimacy, and Trauma as well as a Bariatric Specialist with self-identity before and after Weight Loss Surgery. If you also identify as Highly Sensitive or Introverted, let's have a chat about how to uncover how you may be hiding your greatness in plain sight!

My intention is for you to feel safe bringing all parts of yourself into our sessions. All of you - all feelings, all identities - are welcome. Only in a relationship of relative safety & non-judgement can growth happen. I maintain that YOU are the expert on you and as such I take a client-centered, collaborative, and relational approach to therapy. I will use our relationship, my experience, and YOUR insight & self-knowing, as well as appropriate tools & techniques. I will ask about your goals, challenges, strengths, and what has worked for you in the past. Your care will be as individual as you are.

Accepting New Clients! Lisa is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical & a board-approved clinical supervisor. With thirty years of eclectic clinical experience & eighteen years of behavioral health leadership experience, Lisa has helped a variety of people with diverse needs. This includes children, adolescents, adults, families, couples, parents, groups, communities, students, & professionals experiencing depression, anxiety, ADHD, stress, compassion fatigue, burnout, life changes, & workplace challenges. Empathy, compassion, trust, and unconditional regard are the foundation of the therapeutic relationship with Lisa.

Therapy with me will provide a safe, warm, nonjudgmental, identity-affirming space where you will feel fully heard and understood. Within an anti-oppressive, trauma-centered framework we will explore how past and present experiences have shaped the distress, anxiety, anger, or hopelessness you may be carrying. We will identify the ways you have adapted to these experiences and how this may be contributing to the stress/trauma held in your brain and body and carried into your relationships. I will support and challenge you to grow and heal from this.

Philosophy is often seen as a dry, esoteric academic field with no connection to everyday life and its problems. This is simply untrue. For millennia, philosophers have asked and given meaningful answers to the deepest, most enduring questions of all: Who are we? What is our purpose? What are truth, freedom, justice, beauty? What is the good life? What is real? What is 'nature' and our relationship to it? In short, philosophers think about what we take for granted when we think about anything else. Together, we will strive to awaken your own philosopher within and, in the words of Nietzsche, help you to become who you are.

Scared. Worried. Anxious. Unsure. You look happy on the outside but inside, you're falling apart: you're feeling overwhelmed and having panic attacks out of the blue. You're a successful woman who is trying to do it all: it's a scary feeling, we know! Our team of women counselor's has been there ourselves & we can help you get your life back! We are also pleased to provide a girl/teen girl expert to help your daughter with the issues she may be struggling with such as self-esteem, anxiety, self-harming, etc. Two locations to better serve you: Leonardtown and Dunkirk.

As a queer therapist, I understand how important it is to have a safe and affirming space to explore your deepest self. Within my clinical focus, my specialties include depression, anxiety, relationships, gender expression, identity, and body image. Additionally, I feel passionate about working with LGBTQIA+ individuals who are on the path to parenthood. This includes those who may be carrying a child, thinking about conceiving, as well as non-birthing partners. Taking that step can feel daunting in a world that is still entrenched in binary norms, and I am here to honor and hold your space.

Are you feeling trapped in a cycle of depression, anxiety, anger or self-doubt from a trauma that keeps coming back to you? Although these emotions are overwhelming and challenging, there is hope. I can help you learn skills and strategies to cope with difficult emotions and deepen your understanding of yourself and your trauma. I welcome you to join me on the journey of self-exploration, expanded opportunities while working towards achieving inner peace and balance.