Relational Therapists in Preston, MD

I am an advocate for children and their families. I feel it is important for children to be heard and validated. I know the importance of meeting the client "where they are" emotionally, spiritually and psychologically. My approach is client centered and I apply play therapy, expressive art therapy, CBT and sand therapy based on the needs of the client. I work with children, adolescents, adults, families, couples and veterans. I assist clients with identifying the root causes of their current problems and how to resolve them. Honoring my client's life story is important. The client is the author of their life.

I have extensive professional experience working with individuals and groups in the public mental health field as well in my private practice.I believe that symptoms of distress that bring people into treatment are signs of health. Old ways of coping are no longer working and new ways of dealing with life are needed. I help clients connect with the internal resources they need to create the lives they long for.

My earliest memories are as a caregiver, capable beyond my years. As I grew others came to me for love and support and, over time, I came to realize my calling was to help others with crises or long-standing personal or family problems. Making that my life’s work was a natural and easy step for me. I still love helping others as much as I ever have. You’re here because you’re looking for change and for help. Your desire for change and your willingness to ask for help are the most important steps. You’ve already taken them.

Everyone, during various times in his/her life, goes through difficult times. You may be confused about which direction to go, how to handle change, how to parent difficult children, how to manage the care of elderly parents in addition to your own life responsibilities, and/or how to improve important relationships.

There are times throughout our lives when we feel stuck. Wanting to move forward, out of the darkness and into the light but not knowing how to take that first step and often not having the energy to do so. Sometimes that feeling of being stuck or the heaviness that comes with it, just comes out of nowhere leaving us confused and frustrated. Other times it is because we are moving through some pretty big life changes and we start to doubt ourselves and our worth. You have everything you need within you to heal, to move forward, to start over, and to live the life you you have always dreamed of. Allow me to help lighten your load.

Are you ready to find the best version of yourself? I specialize in working with clients to overcome traumatic experiences, anxiety and life transitions by creating a safe, nurturing environment. My goal is to help you explore past experiences and understand how they impact the way you respond to life today. By using a variety of treatment modalities, ranging from EMDR, traditional talk therapy and more expressive forms of therapy, you will overcome obstacles in a way that feels comfortable. Your journey is unique; therefore, treatment is tailored to your needs.

Please e-mail me at chelseaslacumlcsw.c@gmail.com for immediate response and appointment availability. ----------------------- I know first-hand the twists and turns life can take you on. I have a deep understanding of the challenges individuals, couples, families, and children face on a daily basis. Life's often overwhelming demands can result in anxiety, depression, and other unhealthy ways of managing stress. I desire to work with clients to help empower them through identifying and conquering patterns of negative thoughts and behaviors while working toward developing a healthy, balanced lifestyle that everyone deserves to have.

You are filled with uncertainty and struggling to navigating your emotions. Thoughts keep racing through your head and you cannot get them to stop. All of the sudden, you don't feel like yourself and know something has to change. You've tried therapy in the past but it has not helped. Finding a new therapist feels daunting. But now you are ready to uncover the tools to understand your deepest emotions and heal from the inside out. I am a licensed clinical professional counselor in Maryland working with individuals who have depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, struggles with body image and self-esteem.

You can do this! You can face this! You have the tools! I am here to help to carry this burden for a time while assisting you to identify and grow your tools and skills to become stronger, wiser, and more capable to pursue that which is good and true in life. Depression, anxiety, trauma, and numerous other internal and external barriers can seem overwhelming when trying to navigate daily life alone- so let's do this together.

Psychotherapy: Identifies the current challenges and their causes. Then we set goals and begin the action steps toward changes necessary to resolve your stress and begin the work of ongoing self-care and healing. Life Coaching: Personal and professional goals are the beginning of our work together. Then we co-design an action plan to achieve your goals in the most efficient manner. Coaching can happen by phone - an option that eliminates geographic boundaries. Together, these modes provide a continuum of care and are a valuable and exciting process for anyone who desires optimum health, happiness and wellbeing.

Most of us have times in our lives where we feel completely overwhelmed, outnumbered and alone. We've tried to change, but we're still struggling. We know we can't stay in this place, it's too painful, but how do we ask for help? Perhaps it's the stigma, perhaps we've tried other therapists, perhaps we just can't make the call. But there's a reason you're on this site. I'm here to encourage you to make the call, whether it's to me or someone else. You do deserve to feel better!

My approach is client-centered, trauma-informed, and holistically based. We all face challenges throughout the course of our lives. My goal is to assist those I serve in finding the insight within and personal empowerment needed to make desired changes.

When you feel as if you have personal control over your future, you are more likely to have success in treatment. My goal is to have a solution-focused approach by looking for realistic goals and helping you identify the steps that you need to take to achieve it. We will focus on figuring out how the problem is started and why it is still occurring, and then evaluate the steps that you are taking to reach your goal, allowing you to analyze your success in treatment.

I believe one of the most healing things we can do is understand our stories and how it affects our everyday life and relationships. These experiences can manifest in different ways such as anxiety, emotional numbness, or relationship challenges. The clients I work with have oftentimes experienced complex relational traumas in childhood and dysfunctional family dynamics. Through these difficult experiences, we develop coping strategies and protective behaviors, which may no longer be serving you.

My clients generally describe me as an active, challenging, and empathic psychologist. I often find myself compassionately joining with clients in the middle of their difficulties, so that we can collaborate on finding a way out together. It's not uncommon for me to give clients feedback on their choices, while I also respect clients' autonomy. I work best with individuals and couples who are invested in their own growth and willing to experiment with new behaviors and perspectives. I tend to rely on relational-cultural and mindfulness-based approaches, and I am also open to adapting my approach to address clients' unique needs.

Your privacy is valued. Support is here for you that is discreet, convenient, and prioritizing you whether that’s with therapy or coaching, I am here. I will help you brave through life’s most challenging storms. We will weather them together and I’ll guide you to that beautiful rainbow on the other side. It’s there. It does exist. Every storm passes. You deserve your rainbow and I will help you create it. Change is hard. What’s hardest? Staying where you’re not meant to be. Allow me the honor to support you on your journey.

My ideal client does not need to have a clinical diagnosis or "have problems" to be in therapy. They DO need to value personal growth, building resilience, and feel ready to navigate life's challenges effectively. Whether it's finding peace, managing life changes, sorting out emotions, or improving executive functioning skills, I will provide a safe and supportive place to guide you. Through my efforts to establish therapeutic relationships in an honest and truthful way, I help build an environment where my clients feel safe and free to open themselves up to the processes involved in gaining insight and improved self-understanding.

I view therapy as a journey that both client and therapist embark on together towards increased understanding, empowerment and healing. Whether this is your first therapeutic journey or one of many, I believe you are the expert of your own experience. Your wisdom coupled with my clinical expertise, provide the foundation for a healing connection in a therapeutic setting. I work both with individuals with diagnosable symptoms (e.g. depression, anxiety, bereavement, etc.) and less concrete emotional struggles (e.g. relational difficulties, identity exploration, life transitions, body image, etc.).

People often come to therapy when they are seeking relief from mental or emotional pain. I believe much of this inner pain comes from the methods we learn throughout our life to protect us from troubling thoughts and emotions, as well as from the difficulties in our environment. In psychotherapy, deep and lasting healing occurs when we develop awareness into the nature of our thinking and feeling, how they are shaped by experience, and the important functions they serve in the ways we manage our lives.