Therapists in Washington, DC

I have been in practice for over 20 years, working with adults, children and adolescents in psychodynamic therapy and psychoanalysis. The frequency and duration of each treatment depends on the unique needs of every person; for example, a college student may be seeking short-term therapy to deal with the transition from home to school or an adult may be seeking longer term treatment to understand a pattern of failed relationships. Children are often referred by family members or school counselors, who provide valuable background information to help determine the best treatment. Ongoing collaboration with parents and professionals is essential.

We all have unique stories. Our pasts form us into who we are today, and oftentimes what once worked for us, no longer does. Therapy can help us gain the insight to understand our stories, but more importantly, help us to choose new ways of living and engaging with ourselves, others, and the world. In the context of a supportive relationship, we will work together to move towards a life that is more meaningful, satisfying, and free.

After 7 years of training, practice, and providing clinical supervision at the Capital Institute for Cognitive Therapy, I've transitioned to private practice in Woodley Park. I have significant training in Cognitive Behavioral (CBT), Psychodynamic, Mindfulness-based, and Metacognitive approaches. These are the main schools in the field, and combined allow me to offer both practical techniques for troublesome thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; as well as help you see subtleties in yourself that likely influence how and why you may be stuck.

I work with individuals seeking relief from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, disordered eating, and other life stressors. Beyond symptom remission, my clients are often looking for long-term growth and deeper meaning in their relationships. With experience in residential, partial hospitalization, and outpatient levels of care, I both treat present behavioral issues and encourage subtle developmental growth with empathy. Additionally, I enjoy working with international clients, providing support during difficult transitions and help navigating cultural identity.

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.

Whether you want to talk, are looking for support through difficult times, or looking to make real change in your life, we can work together to achieve dreams, meet goals and rise above the ashes. Using my background as a mental health therapist, a certified addictions counselor, and specializations in spirituality, grief, multiculturalism, and hypnosis, I am sure we can find a way to work together toward your goal of well-being.

Welcome! The people I work with come to therapy for a lot of reasons. Some severe- suicidal ideation, trauma, dissociation, self-harm, moments of crisis. Others appear to have a life that seems fine- stable work and/or relationships but experience a persistent and burbling sense that life is not as satisfying as it could be. Some have a question- should I leave my partner? My job? Have a baby? Transition? Who am I? What is art? Others are trying to figure out how to manage neurodiversity or plurality in a world that is not built for them.

Each individual is unique and resilient. My goal in therapy is to find and respect those qualities, and to work together in identifying coping tools that will promote profound and lasting changes. I have been practicing for over ten years. My training has covered trauma-informed care, crisis intervention and psychodynamic therapy. I earned my bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Maryland and my master's degree in clinical social work at the University of Pennsylvania. I earned my independent clinical social work license in Washington, DC.

Some reasons you might seek therapy with me include the following: if you are struggling with anxiety or depression; if you lack motivation or feel overwhelmed by stress; if you are having trouble in your romantic or social relationships; if you are grieving the loss of a loved one; if you are navigating challenging workplace relationships; or if you are having strong emotional responses you don't understand.

Deciding to begin therapy can be a difficult step, but by building a supportive therapeutic relationship, we can understand what’s painful and troubling to you in a way that feels manageable. Maybe you’re not where you want to be in your life; you find yourself repeating familiar patterns and feeling stuck, or you feel overwhelmed by life transitions, anxiety, relationship struggles, loss, or addiction. You might find that talking to your family and friends isn’t helping you cope with your challenges as much as you'd like, and you realize you need a different kind of support.

Do you feel like life has become more challenging? Have you begun to feel less fulfilled or feel like something is wrong? People seek therapy at various stages of their life to address their challenges. Sometimes you might know why, and other times it can be confusing or difficult to pinpoint. Therapy not only can help you understand your sources of stress but also to improve symptoms that prevent you from feeling your best. Together, we will work to support you, face challenges within yourself, work towards your goals, and, most importantly, improve your own sense of a life that is meaningful and fulfilled.

My specialty and passion is working with young and mid career professionals seeking support with stressful life transitions, career/identity development, and interpersonal relationships. Many of my clients often seek therapy during periods of heightened anxiety, depression, and other mood-related issues, as well as to heal from past trauma and/or grief and loss. Many of my clients are coming to therapy for the first time. Additionally, as a holistic mental health practitioner, I will encourage you to develop a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection as a powerful tool to improve your daily life and wellbeing.

Are you a parent of a child, teen or young adult struggling with big emotions that take over your child's body? Does your child have trouble leaving the house, nervous about new situations, have excess energy, feel low or experience mood swings? Are you a young adult entering a new phase or overwhelmed with today's pressures of work, family, friends and relationships? Are you looking for a clinician that can connect with you and understands the pressures of today? With a background in therapeutic and specials education school settings, we use creative tools to connect with you and your child to support you.

We know every person is unique and as such the therapeutic process must be uniquely designed to cater to each client's needs. Using evidenced-based practices including Psychodynamic, Trauma Informed Care, EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, CBT, Strength Based, Narrative therapy, Mindfulness Based Approaches, Expressive Arts, among others, our team strives to support community members rise above the stressors that cause distress and suffering. We meet our clients wherever they are in their journey. In our work together, we tap your strengths and work in collaboration with you to achieve your wellness and therapy goals.

Making the choice to start therapy can be a courageous first step toward paving a new path of personal meaning, insight, and growth. As your therapist, I see it as my job to work collaboratively with you to establish goals for making positive life changes. I believe in establishing a working alliance composed of empathy, trust, respect, validation, and transparency. I see the therapeutic relationship as the cornerstone of what makes therapy effective.

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!

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.

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.

We'll explore how to identify and reframe negative thoughts, regulate mood, improve communication, learn and implement new behaviors . We'll also explore how your childhood experiences might impact and inform your current ability to form meaningful bonds. I work with create space for BIPOC, AAPI, Latinx, LGBTQ+ (diverse) clients to be candid about their experiences. We identify cognitive, emotional and behavioral distress related to anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, roles an expectations, discrimination or privilege, shame, transitions, anxiety, grief, trauma and/or abuse, racial, ethic and cultural identity, and relationships.