Find a Therapist in Accokeek, MD

I like to create a safe and comfortable telehealth environment. In couple therapy, we will start by setting ground rules. In individual and couples work, you will not be judged but will be challenged at times.

I create a warm, welcoming, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe to share their thoughts and emotions. My sessions are collaborative and client-centered, fostering a sense of trust, respect, and understanding. I balance professionalism with genuine empathy, ensuring that clients feel heard, validated, and supported throughout their journey.

Life can present you with difficult situations which are hard to process and move past. These challenges are not on your timeline and affect everything. Having worked in many healthcare settings, I am familiar navigating life-changing events and grief. I understand the territory of encountering loss, coping with trauma, the complexity of the medical system and living with illness. Together we will face any changes, fears, anxiety and emotions you are experiencing, allowing you to gain more grounding and peace. I will work with you from an integrative, holistic approach to determine together what is needed for your coping, healing and self-care.

Welcome! I’m so glad you are reaching out! Finding a therapist who is able to listen and understand your particular needs is key. When I meet with you for the first time, I want to learn who you are as a person. In addition to diagnosis and issues of concern, I want to know your life story. Are there patterns that recur in your life? What are your strengths? What matters to you? Once I have a good understanding, we can decide jointly what approach is likely to help you most. When you come for counseling, you want to start to feel better right away. By incorporating evidence-based coping skills from the first session, I help folks get some immediate stress relief. At the same time, we will also address any underlying issues to achieve more long-term gains.

My approach to therapy is down-to-earth, practical, and solution-oriented. As a clinical psychologist I have extensive training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and have seen many clients improve using these techniques. I have helped people overcome their problems in a variety of settings including hospitals, university counseling centers, community health clinics, and schools.

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.

I believe everyone deserves a safe space to heal and grow, no matter who they are or where they come from. With over 25 years of experience, I work with teens, adults, and families - especially women navigating life's challenges. I use practical, research-backed approaches that help you understand your thoughts and feelings while building skills that actually work in real life. Whether you're dealing with worry, sadness, trouble focusing, work stress, relationship issues, or major life changes, we'll work together to strengthen not just your mental health, but your overall sense of wellbeing. My therapeutic approach is warm, culturally responsive, and honors your unique story. I use strength-based methods to empower your wellness journey, reflected in innovative programs like my stress reduction intervention featured on the Calm Health app. In our sessions, your experiences are valued and your goals guide our work together.

Seeking therapy is difficult, and on top of that, trying to find the right therapist by clicking through profiles is daunting. Life sometimes presents us with challenges that leave us feeling out of control and unable to move forward. Therapy is about learning to speak about these issues, expressing your feelings, and learning healthy tools to cope and regain control. I bring experience working with diverse populations and issues, such as life transitions, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and career issues. As an immigrant, I understand the complexities of balancing cultures, navigating environments, and striving for success. I believe that you are the expert in your own life, and I’m dedicated to supporting you on your healing journey. My goal is to meet you exactly where you are and create a supportive environment where you feel comfortable discussing your experiences, needs, and goals. Using a holistic approach and mixed evidence-based techniques to manage symptoms and heal. My approach involves integrating evidence-based therapeutic practices to match each client, as everyone is unique and has their own demands. We will work together to identify core values, unconscious thoughts, and negative self-concepts to ultimately achieve personal growth. If you think we would work well together, please do not hesitate to reach out.

**I have a limited number of in-person and telehealth sessions available. Please contact me to see if I am a good match and our schedules align.** My initial goal in therapy is to deeply understand the unique individual sitting across from me. I take a holistic approach to this task. I understand that the mind, body, spirit, and relationships are all connected and impacted by one another. I think of my clients as more than just a collection of problems and diagnoses. I want to understand your strengths and talents as well as your struggles and areas for growth. I also want to understand where you have come from and where you would like to go. As we better understand how your life story impacts your current feelings, motivations, and relationships, you will likely experience increased self-acceptance and the ability to make to make better decisions about your future. Intellectual insight alone, although useful, is often not enough to allow clients to fully make the kinds of life changes that they desire. Consequently, I also utilize methods from more action-oriented approaches to therapy that focus on obtaining new skills and practicing new behaviors. These skills are often focused on learning new ways of managing difficult feelings and improving communication and intimacy in relationships. I believe that a therapist and client should work together as a team. I will bring my energy, experience, and compassion to the therapeutic relationship. I ask you for openness, honesty, curiosity, and a willingness to experiment with new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. My goal is to work with you to help you achieve a greater sense of happiness, peace, integrity, and satisfaction in your life.

Navigating relationships, whether they are fresh or longstanding, can be riddled with pain, resentment, and miscommunication. This often results in a pervasive sense of exhaustion, with the weight of responsibility making us question whether the fulfilling relationships we desire are within reach. Confronted by a series of challenges, it can feel like there's an unspoken tension in every interaction, creating an elephant in the room despite our best intentions. The emotional toll of life stress, societal expectations, and familial pressures affects both couples and singles alike. However, it doesn't have to remain this way. Relationships possess the potential to heal and flourish if that is your objective. Discovering avenues to communicate without conflict, addressing difficulties without escalating tension, and fostering laughter, smiles, and romance are pivotal in transforming the dynamics. Rekindling the warmth in a strained relationship or emerging stronger and happier after a breakup involves simple yet effective strategies. Everyone deserves to experience respect, care, understanding, and love, forging genuine connections on a profound level. Whether you are seeking new relationships or striving to salvage an existing one, I am here to support you. My expertise lies in working with Artists, Creatives, High Performers, and individuals in the Media industry, understanding the unique challenges they face. I am passionate about assisting both couples and individuals in therapy to enrich their lives. My availability and flexibility in scheduling allow us to collaborate according to your needs and timetable. Our boutique practice thrives on tailoring treatments specifically for you, proving highly successful in resolving a multitude of relationship issues through evidence-based practices. For your convenience and safety, all sessions are conducted via Telehealth on a secure platform. I am a licensed therapist providing services to clients in DC, VA, MD, and CA. Feel free to reach out with any questions or to schedule a free consultation. Let's work together to make daily improvements and cultivate the fulfilling relationships you deserve.

Hey there! I'm Whitney, a Licensed Professional Counselor with over fifteen years of experience with a variety of populations ranging from young children to adults. My therapeutic approach is grounded in an existential model, but I also draw from various other forms of therapy to best support my clients. You can expect me to incorporate strategies and techniques from behavioral therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), as well as psychodynamic and family systems therapies. As a trauma-informed provider, I have received specialized training in treating trauma, shame, and anxiety. I'm passionate about staying up-to-date with the latest research and evidence-based practices and have specific training in understanding and managing ADHD across different phases of life. My ultimate goal is to provide a safe and empowering space for you to explore, grow, and overcome challenges. Together, we'll work towards helping you make choices that align with your goals and needs, fostering a sense of autonomy and personal fulfillment. I truly believe in creating a judgment-free environment where you can freely express your authentic self, embracing both the highs and lows of your unique path. I am here to support you in developing self-compassion and accepting the person you are today, despite the obstacles you have faced or are still working through. It's all part of your story, and we'll explore ways to love and appreciate yourself on this transformative path. Additionally, I'm committed to helping you explore your desires, find meaning in your life, and discover the direction you want to pursue for a fulfilling future. I am an expert in providing psychotherapy (also called therapy or mental health counseling) to four main groups of people and their loved ones: Child and Adolescent Therapy, Young Adult Therapy, Sports Therapy, and Parenthood.

I view psychotherapy as a collaborative process of self-discovery that is both supportive and directive. As many problems stem from either escalating emotions or efforts to avoid them, time is spent exploring and trying to understand your distress to help you create a more satisfying and healthier way of living. To inform my work, I draw from three areas of theoretical research: cognitive behavioral theory (skills-focused), attachment theory (insight-focused), and neuroscience research (psychoeducation-focused re: the mind-body connection and physical response to trauma). When we listen to our emotions without judgment and try to understand what they are telling us, more often than not, we can figure out what we need to regain emotional peace, balance, and life satisfaction. Many of my clients are highly successful on the outside; leaders in their field, individuals who handle intense and stressful jobs. They are the ones that other people look to for insight and guidance. But on the inside, these clients often carry a great deal of weight from past difficulties, including feelings of tremendous anxiety, self-loathing, shame, and low-grade chronic depression, because they have never received the expertise needed to truly overcome their past experiences and maladaptive coping strategies they have developed. I bring my 30 years of experience as a trauma researcher, clinician, teacher, and clinical supervisor to every one of my sessions. I find my work inspiring and a privilege. Through our work together, my clients find someone who has the years of experience and expertise to create the sense of security needed to explore and understand these difficulties, and finally overcome them.