Find a Therapist in Washington, DC

I believe that I am a good balance of validating and nonjudgmental while also being challenging when needed.

Hi there! My name is Sabrina, and I am so excited that you’re taking this step to reach out for help. Everyone faces trials and difficulties in life, and it is my honor to be able to walk alongside someone and offer support. My approach is somewhat laid back – no two people are the same, so each time I work with someone, I want to tailor my style and feedback to best meet their needs. I want to make sure you feel safe enough to be authentic in communicating your needs with me. We will work together to help you meet your goals and get you where you want to be! In the past, there has been a stigma on people who seek out mental health treatment, and I hope that one day, that stigma will disappear completely. Caring for your mental health and well-being is a vital component of overall healthy living. Getting help when you need it is absolutely the best thing you can do for yourself and the other people in your life. I’m passionate about creating a safe space where people are free to be open and genuine without fear of judgment.

At Starobin Counseling we focus on helping people repair and strengthen their relationships with themselves and their relationships with others. We regard relationships as central to the therapeutic process. Some challenges in life are purely personal, but most problems express themselves in the intersections people have with other people. Therapy helps people repair their inner selves, often injured by relational ruptures, and learn and practice being in relational health with one another. Therapy helps people hear themselves think, experience feelings, gain new perspectives. We help people recognize and strengthen their own vitality and resiliency so they can unlock their capacity for compassionate and meaningful connections. We are a neurodiversity-minded, neurodiversity-affirming, gender-affirming, and culturally aware and sensitive practice.

Therapy is a journey into a space where your feelings are welcomed and understood. Imagine a calm environment with soft light, warm air, and the gentle scent of lavender. This atmosphere provides comfort and ease, allowing you to settle more deeply into yourself. At the center is a mirror, not an ordinary mirror, but one that reflects your authentic self: vulnerable, radiant, and whole. In this supportive space, you are invited to recognize and accept all aspects of who you are, including your strengths, challenges, and areas of growth. Therapy becomes a process of healing and self-discovery, where you learn to embrace yourself with compassion and openness. With each passing moment, you feel yourself softening, embracing this mirror as it shows you who you truly are. And as you stand there, something shifts. You begin to uncover the pieces that make you whole, cherishing them, nurturing them, letting them grow. The journey of therapy is not just about healing; it is about discovering and embracing the profound beauty within you, piece by piece, moment by moment. In our first session, we will review essential consent forms and complete an intake questionnaire. This allows me to gather vital information about your unique experiences and needs, ensuring that our work together is tailored specifically to you. In subsequent sessions, we will collaboratively create a personalized plan aimed at helping you achieve your goals, fostering growth and healing every step of the way. You are not alone on this journey. I am here to support you in navigating the complexities of your life with compassion and understanding.

I work with individuals who have experienced trauma to be able to live their life to the fullest.

In my practice, I work with adults, defined as approximately age 20 and older. I work with individual clients, with couples, and with groups. In group therapy, the clients are almost always in individual therapy as well, with me, with my co-therapist, or with another therapist who has referred the client to the group. I work with clients presenting a variety of issues, including: *Depression Relationship Issues *Life Transitions *Anxiety *Addictive Behaviors *GLBT Issues *Anger *Grief and Loss *Sense of Self/Self-Esteem *Men's Issues *Trauma and PTSD *Partners of Abuse Survivors *Adult Children of Alcoholic/Dysfunctional/Abuse Families *Couples Issues, including Re-Marriage, Extramarital Relationships, and Step-Families I have had experience working with diverse groups of people. I have been a consulting psychologist to an orthodox yeshiva, I have worked with Catholic seminarians, I have taught and supervised trainees in a largely Catholic Pastoral Counseling program, and I have taken numerous workshops in working with Gay, Bi, and Lesbian, and Questioning clients. In addition, I have been involved in Multicultural work since 2001, and seek to keep an open mind and continuously question my assumptions about people whose lives are different from mine. I believe that psychotherapy is an interactive process that calls for both the client and the therapist to be as fully involved as possible. Therefore, I participate actively with my patients, sharing my thoughts, impressions, and reactions to what we are talking about. I believe that people can change even long-standing patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior if THEY participate actively. My job is to create a space where clients can be curious and learn about the ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that they bring to their lives, and about how these ways work for them and against them. I create this space by bringing both my professional training and understanding and my human compassion, empathy, and respect. In my practice, I typically meet with people once a week; if there is a need for additional support, or if we decide together that more intense work is called for, meeting twice a week can be very useful. Even meeting once a week allows clients to develop enough comfort with me and with therapy for our work to be effective and helpful. Regarding my theoretical grounding, I have intensive training in Psychodynamic, Cognitive-Behavioral, Gestalt, and Existential therapeutic approaches, and I draw from each of these as the client's situation, needs, and goals call for. Some therapists subscribe to and identify with one school of thought and apply that way of thinking and working to every client. I first work to understand each client's particular issues, needs, and style of thinking and feeling. THEN, I use the approach and methods that I believe would be most useful to that patient, and remain open to using whatever else might work based on what develops. Therefore, my orientation is eclectic, and my methods are determined by the client's personality and needs.

Have you hit a wall with therapy? Are you struggling to find hope? My name is Mikayla, and I've lived in and around DC for over 22 years. I provide holistic therapy for individuals with and without ketamine. My clients struggle with PTSD, suicidality, depression, anxiety, substance use, and co-occurring conditions. I also work with couples struggling to resolve and repair conflict. All are welcome here! I have experience working with people who struggle to fit in, people who use drugs, and people in non-monogamous relationships. My perspective is relational and systems-based. No part of us is separate from the rest; we are inseparable from our environments and each other. If you decide to work with me, we'll start by exploring the dynamics of your relationships and the relationship you have with yourself. We can identify and build on your strengths, manage and release the manifestations of toxic stress through the body, improve your emotional capacities, and build stronger authentic relationships. My approach weaves embodied mindfulness, liberation psychology, somatics, trauma-informed care, polyvagal theory, education, sound, and, for those who choose this route, ketamine. There is no "typical" session with me. Each person is approached as a unique being with a unique story. I have real-world experience and extensive training in multiple compatible approaches, which allows me to pull out the right tool for the right person at the right time. I maintain a laser focus on your obstacles and protective barriers while holding a lighthearted space where we are free to laugh about the absurdity of life. I reject hierarchy in therapeutic spaces and hold us as equals sharing the beauty and pain of healing in the human experience. How we work together is guided by your understanding of what you need. I believe you have the capacity to heal yourself. My role is to approach you with a delicate balance of compassion and honesty, maintain a safe and comfortable environment, witness your process, and ask the right questions.

People - like plants - don't thrive in less than optimal conditions. However people - unlike plants - have the ability to improve the conditions in which they exist and give themselves the gift of positive and exuberant growth. Is your growth as an individual being limited by ~ anxieties & fears ~ lack of direction ~ depression ~ past trauma ~ poor self image ~ relationship issues Any one of the above can make you feel stuck and uncertain. Growth oriented psychotherapy will help you rediscover your purpose and direction. My task is to guide you as you identify your goals and the resources you'll need to achieve them. My belief is that most of these resources already exist within you or are readily accessible to you.

I offer compassionate and evidence-based therapy to help you navigate life's difficulties. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or trauma, I can provide the support and tools you need to heal and grow. I'm here to listen without judgment and offer guidance on your journey toward healing and well-being. Together, we'll explore your thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and build resilience. I believe in your ability to overcome challenges and achieve your goals. Through therapy, we'll work collaboratively to identify your strengths, develop practical solutions, and empower you to live a fulfilling life. I am available to clients across the state, allowing you to visit with me in the comfort of your home through telehealth, whether it be during the week or in the evenings or on weekends.

You want more for yourself in every way: mentally, physically, and emotionally. But lately, the pressure is weighing on you. The constant racing thoughts, the anxiety about what's coming next, the self-doubt that keeps you second-guessing every decision, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness that makes it hard to stay afloat. You deserve to break free from this cycle and regain control. Life can feel like a constant juggling act—work, relationships, and the pressure to always be "on." If you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, or just feeling stuck in the chaos of modern life, you’re not alone. As your therapist, I’m here to help you make sense of the mess and give you the tools to regain balance. In our sessions, you’ll find a space to talk openly about your stress and challenges without fear of judgment. We’ll explore what's causing your discomfort and work through it together. You don’t have to have it all figured out—life is messy. We’ll dive into the pressures you’re facing and help you recognize that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. You’ll learn evidence-based strategies like CBT and mindfulness to reduce stress, set boundaries, and make space for what truly matters to you—without guilt or burnout. Therapy is about your growth, not a race. Whether you need quick relief or long-term support, we’ll go at a pace that feels right for you. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be fulfilling. Together, we’ll create a plan to help you thrive, even through the messiness. Ready to stop just surviving and start thriving? Let’s work together to build a resilient life you love. Everyone handles life's challenges differently with different levels of support. All it takes is one supportive person in your life to be the catalyst for change. I can be that support.

Is your mind spinning with worries and you just want a break from the endless "to do" list, anxiety and insecurity? Perhaps you find yourself physically or emotionally exhausted each day. If you're struggling internally, or in your relationship and want to feel better, counseling can be helpful. Are you ready to start working on your self-care but just don’t know where to start? Perhaps you've decided it’s time to get your life back. Many people get caught in the negative cycle where feeling anxious, depressed or stressed is a way of life, especially in today's world. It's easy to forget that a better life awaits us if we reach out for support to help us find what we're looking for. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, anxious and depressed, you can have a life where your days are greeted with more inner peace, more confidence and hopefulness for what lies ahead. If you are sick and tired of feeling overwhelmed, we want to help you feel better. Like you, our clients are regular, everyday women who are struggling with life's difficult ups and downs. Life's overwhelming stressors can turn into having issues such as anxiety and depression, stress and trauma, women's wellness issues including self esteem and body image, relationship problems and hard life transitions. Therapy will be tailored to meet your specific, individual needs. By using a practical approach and collaborating with you, we can find your path to a happy, healthy, fulfilled and meaningful life through the process of therapy. It might not seem so, but it is possible to start feeling good about yourself and your life. Contact us today to set up an appointment or for more support.

In my practice I use a variety of cognitive-behavioral techniques; visual guided imagery, Imago intentional dialogue and exercises, Voice Dialogue, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), EMDR, and stress reduction techniques. I provide a safe, comfortable, compassionate, and fun environment.