We will work together to build a road map with your goals in mind and review your progress. I look forward to working with you.

I prefer my clients to feel like someone is listening to them, my environment is relaxed and nonjudgmental.

I think the most important part of being a good therapist is genuinely caring about the well-being of the people I work with. I am an empathic therapist, and work to create a warm and welcoming environment for those I see in therapy. This sets a foundation that enables us to talk about what brings you to therapy, whether it be hopes, struggles, fears, conflicts, etc. Together, we will explore your concerns and wishes, and uncover what is standing between what life is like now and what you want it to be. I will help you recognize and understand the barriers that keep you from feeling the way you want to feel, and work with you to break through those barriers, which can result in greater satisfaction in relationships, work, and day-to-day life. I also provide support and guidance for those experiencing life transitions, such as marriage, children, loss, divorce, and those new to the city who are having trouble adjusting. I think that it is important to recognize that, although we all have limitations, we also have strengths and resources. I have a flexible approach to therapy, and have been trained in a number of different modalities that allow me to cater to your specific needs.

When we feel stuck in our lives, for weeks, or years, it can take a toll on us in ways we may not see. Time passes and we don't feel any further in our life. We're left feeling exhausted and alone in our pain. My name is Ryan, and I provide therapy for people who are looking to break free. Whether it's poor relationships, anxiety, depression, substance or process addictions, trauma, or a desire to deepen their connection with others, I help my clients find strength, flexibility, and compassion, returning themselves to the feeling of being whole. My job is to guide you through the things that have been holding you back in your life. I'm experienced in both modern and historical approaches; psychodynamic, attachment-based, internal family systems, addiction, and psychosynthesis. Regardless of the style of therapy, I specialize in creating safe holding for exploring emotional depth and healing.

My approach to therapy is largely cognitive/behavioral, with a strong emphasis on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) techniques, specifically learning to be mindful- noticing and accept your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations- while committing to behavior that is consistent with your own values. My experiences both in and out of the work setting are fairly broad so I feel I can address most issues clients present with. My style is engaging and supportive. I view our relationship as a partnership. I will spend the majority of our first sessions together listening to get to know you better. I believe that everything in our lives is interrelated, so at times I may let our focus move to whatever is particularly troubling to you that day. At other times, I may focus you back on the current problem we are trying to solve. I am married with two children and have had two career changes. I have experienced a wide variety of life stressors and have sought help when needed. I believe that these experiences have provided me with empathy, perspective and coping skills that I can use to help you.

At Power Counseling PLLC, we are five different clinicians. However, we have one thing in common. We are all committed to satisfactorily resolve the issues that the client brings to the therapy room. We work with individuals, couples, families and groups, offering individual, couple, family and group therapy. Our primary therapy modality is cognitive-behavioral therapy, but we also use solution focused therapy a lot. We are located in Washington DC, but we are licensed to practice in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. Our director also offers clinical supervision for those who need it. Now, we offer only teletherapy. We believe that people can change, and that therapy is about assisting clients with what they need to change so that they can lead a healthy life and achieve their life’s goals. We assist our clients to attain self-exploration, resilience, empathy, and emotional empowerment. We firmly believe in the inherent inner powers of each individual to heal. We believe that everyone possesses the necessary internal resources to overcome emotional difficulty and flourish in life. This belief guides our approach to therapy. We strive to empower our clients, in a collaborative manner. Our goal is to provide a holistic, solution-focused, empathy-driven, and emotionally empowering therapy approach. That way, we support my clients to achieve the goals for which they seek therapy. We adopt an inherently collaborative approach. It’s like a partnership in which the client has a voice and can set the agenda for the sessions and take ownership of the outcome of our work together. We empower clients to make decisions about their care, with our guidance. The goal here is to work with the client to identify and implement effective solutions to the issues that they bring to the therapy room. As necessary, we educate and guide our clients to use internal and external resources available to them to heal. We work to empower clients to make decisions and take actions that align with their values and aspirations.

My approach is integrative, intersectional, developmental, and contextual with a basic belief in the value of connection and the power of possibility. My work pulls from principles of Intersectionality and Liberation Practices, Attachment and Relational Science, Differentiation as a Developmental process in relationships, Contextual and Systems Theories, and the essential journey of Trauma Integration across the lifespan. I understand that we are heavily shaped by our relationships, family experiences, and positionality in the social world with regard to race, culture, gender identity, sexuality, etc. My practice is relationship and sexual intimacy focused, and I've deepened my lens to include Level 1 & 2 training in the Gottman Method; Advanced training in the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy, in addition to past experience with PACT & Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. I only work with couples or relationship structures at this time and I offer in person; telehealth; and a hybrid option. I also offer mini intensives (4 hour sessions), which compress the therapeutic work into a shorter period, offering a powerful and potentially transformative approach for clients seeking to revitalize their relationships, providing a focused and immersive environment for rapid change and deeper understanding. Because I see relationship clients from all across PA and DE, the mini intensive option works well for clients who really want an in person therapy experience, but can't make a weekly or even biweekly commute fit into their schedule.

I believe therapy is a collaborative process. I understand there are many times in our lives when we need support to help with a transition, a loss, a relationship, or a family issue. My approach is to assist you in gaining insight and awareness around issues that impact you in your life, and to build the confidence to deal with them. I focus on the development of coping strategies, improving communication skills, and resolving conflicts related to work, family, and relationships. It is my belief that therapy is a safe, supportive, respectful environment that can empower someone to find their voice and regain balance in their lives.

I believe in the intrinsic worth of all human beings. I believe that many people do not see their value because it is overshadowed by the shame caused by their perceptions of who they should be and what they should be achieving. There are many reasons why these distortions exist; but one thing is for certain, it creates a feeling of being a fraud and deep shame. A lot of time and energy is used to counteract this secret shame. I feel that it is important to help teens and adults to become authentic and accepting of their strengths and weaknesses instead of putting our emotional and physical energy in denying and being afraid of our humanness. It is exhausting and paralyzing to be so afraid of our imperfections. I believe there is value in accepting our own humanity. We have to climb off our self imposed pedestal which is secretive and isolating and connect with other human beings without the fear of being discovered a fraud. It is so freeing and meaningful.

My treatment approach begins with understanding what you would like to accomplish, what works for you, and how we can do that. This is done within the parameters of maintaining your uniqueness as a person. I like to think of an old American Indian expression: If I give you a fish, you eat for today. If I teach you how to fish, you eat forever. I like to address the concerns that you bring to treatment to be resolved first. Then, if you choose, I will provide a working model to manage future issues. I do not try to fit you into a theoretical modality. Treatment modalities are tools in a toolbox of help. Together, we decide which tools to take out of the box and use. This is the development of a significant working therapeutic relationship. It is paramount to obtain success with your treatment goals. With over twenty-five years of experience as a therapist, supervisor, teacher of psychology, and business consultant, I have a large base of knowledge and experience to draw from to help you. I work with all ages, from age four through adolescence, adulthood, and elder years. I am trained as an eclectic modern psychoanalyst. I hope that the following will help you with an improved understanding of my treatment process. Modern psychoanalytic therapy Who can it help? Modern analytic therapy helps people experiencing emotional pain. This can be depression, anxiety, fears, restlessness, an inability to work effectively, or feeling overwhelmed with anger. Some feel weighted down with responsibilities or feel devoid of goals or ties. They may have difficulty playing or being able to have a meaningful relationship. They may be entangled with parents, spouses, or children. Resolution of emotional trauma and growth are part of the analytic process. People come to psychoanalytic therapy to be happy. Analytic therapy also helps people who may not have significant emotional issues but who simply wish to improve their lives. I have worked with many business executives, professional athletes, and recording artists who chose analysis with the purpose of increasing their efficiency. Children may have difficulty playing, relationships with peers, defiance and authority figures, or difficulty with maintaining attention and focus in school. Modifications in the modern analytic approach are implemented to accommodate a child's age. What is modern psychoanalytic therapy like? The client talks and is listened to by the analyst. Past, current, and future life goals are discussed. Analyst and client share a confidential relationship. The analyst helps the client speak of their life and be understanding of all of its parts. Buried feelings that were never resolved come to the surface and are worked through. They talk about work, play, intimacy, and relationships. They uncover memories and look at frustration, anxiety, loneliness, loss, pain, and love. They look at how past patterns that may have been replayed in the present are no longer effective. Analyst and client develop better ways for the client to make more effective choices. The analyst provides choices. What does the psychoanalytic therapist do? The modern analyst asks questions, listens carefully, searches, and comprehends with intellect, feelings, and knowledge. The analyst develops a picture of what the client may be unaware of that is affecting their life. This is done with an understanding of those things that are within awareness that affect choices. The client accepts the responsibility to work hard with the analyst. Together, they develop an approach to provide relief to the concerns that brought the person to treatment. How long does it take? The person comes to treatment with issues of concern. When these problems can be dealt with effectively, treatment may conclude. Treatment sessions are scheduled according to the person. People attend treatment anywhere from once a month to three times per week. It is individually based. How is a psychoanalyst trained? A candidate for training can only be accepted into a training institute through a board of senior psychoanalysts. The program consists of rigorous intellectual and emotional training. 1) Intensive coursework is four years in length post-master's or doctorate, including treatment practice, supervision, and personal analysis, and may total much longer. 2) All candidates must undergo a deep personal analysis during the entire length of their training to resolve any obstacles that may interfere with the treatment process. 3) Long-term individual and group supervision with numerous case study presentations is required. One should note that this training is in addition to any academic degree received, such as MSW, PhD, MD, etc. What do psychoanalysts learn? The analyst learns simple to complex theories of the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of emotional development and challenges. Training is usually five to ten years. Each analyst treats a wide range of emotional issues under the close supervision of senior analysts. Each candidate for certification is carefully evaluated by a panel of senior analysts. The modern psychoanalyst is evaluated and must show superior understanding, skill, and emotional balance needed to treat people. Certification is granted after coursework, personal analysis, supervised analysis of clients, successful case presentations, and the exam are completed.

I assist clients that have endured trauma and stress. Are you looking to find relief through compassionate and effective treatment? If you are interested in finding relief from conditions that have affected your mood, your relationships, your work, andor your habits in a negative way, call or email me now. Together, we can walk the path of recovery together until you have reached your imagined destination. Let's work on overcoming intimate partner violence, anger, toxicity, infidelity, addiction, self-hatred, codependency, shame, isolation, fear, neediness, grief, etc... ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

If you’ve gone through something hard, and you’re having difficulty enjoying things, experiencing intrusive thoughts, anxiety, depression, or just not feeling like yourself, I will listen, help you find your footing, and guide you toward feeling like yourself again. Using a warm and supportive approach, I help adult women and men at all life stages who are coping with trauma and life stressors, toward symptom relief and more peace of mind. I have a special interest in reproductive mental health, including pregnancy and postpartum, as well as reproductive loss and trauma, and I am trained and certified as a perinatal mental health counselor (PMH-C) by Postpartum Support International.