I create a non-judgmental environment and allow a safe space for the client to express their thoughts and feelings. I am a team player and comfortable with multi-disciplinary team.

Rachel Townes, MA, LPC, ACS, CCTP. Counseling is building relationships that produce strength-based behaviors for healing and recovery. My preferred modalities are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Solution Focused Therapy, and other therapies for addictions counseling, trauma-informed care, and family relational matters. The counselor is a guide and supports the client as they establish new behaviors and coping skills for stabilization and healing. The most prominent skill used in sessions is relationship building as the therapeutic alliance is the vehicle for therapies such as DBT, trauma-focused counseling, domestic violence counseling, and addiction counseling.

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.

If you’re looking for therapy, you may be feeling discouraged, misunderstood, or unsure how to repair the emotional distance that’s developed between you and your partner. Maybe you love each other deeply, but can’t seem to stop the cycle of miscommunication or conflict. I understand how painful that can feel—and I want you to know that healing and connection are possible. My work focuses on helping couples rediscover their friendship, deepen their emotional intimacy, and learn skills that allow them to navigate differences with compassion and respect. Drawing from the Gottman Method and Prepare-Enrich, I use evidence-based approaches to help you understand what’s really happening beneath your interactions and to practice new ways of communicating that bring safety, empathy, and hope back into the relationship. You’ll find my style to be warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental. Together, we’ll explore the patterns that keep you stuck, while also identifying the strengths that can move you forward. I believe therapy should be both a space for insight and for action—a place where couples can learn to listen, forgive, and rebuild a bond that reflects the best version of who they are together. All sessions are virtual telehealth, allowing for greater accessibility to therapy services, and are convenient for most people. My practice provides a confidential, compassionate space for couples and individuals seeking to strengthen their relationships and emotional well-being. Call or email to book your appointment today.

Life in DC is demanding. I have helped numerous people who are struggling to manage the professional responsibilities of highly competitive jobs while also trying to navigate challenges in their romantic lives. The people I most commonly work with are bright, motivated professionals who are experiencing significant anxiety trying to meet the expectations of others and may be finding it difficult to carve out emotionally rewarding relationships and experiences. Many people who reach out are also struggling with symptoms of depression and inability to fully find meaning in their lives. If this sounds familiar, I can help you identify and challenge unconscious negative beliefs that may be creating anxiety and interfering with your ability to take active steps towards meaningful goals. The people I work with report feeling greater clarity and confidence, and an improved ability to lead a life consistent with their values.

I provide individual therapy (in person andor virtually) for late adolescents and adults in the greater Washington, DC area and I am PsyPact licensed so can see people in participating PsyPact states. I also provide comprehensive ADHD assessments. I have a particular passion for working with young adults who are figuring out and navigating their next "chapter" of life. I aim to help individuals capitalize on their strengths and work with their limitations, change their responses to interpersonal problems, and help them form new and improved healthy relationships and ways of relating to their world that does not repeat previously unhealthy patterns. By bringing support, encouragement, humor, and a nonjudgmental perspective to our work together, I meet clients where they are, whether they have been to therapy before or are exploring therapy for the first time. Knowing how important the therapy relationship is, my primary goal is to make my clients feel heard, understood, and hopeful. I adapt my approach and style, as needed, to work with my clients' unique needs. I am always happy to jump on the phone for a brief consultation to determine if we may be a good fit to work together.

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.

A healer does not heal you. A healer is someone who holds space for you while you awaken your inner healer, so that you may heal yourself. -Maryam Hasana Welcome to Authentic Healing Health and Wellness Center! I am so excited that you have decided to find healing in areas of your life that may cause stress, anger, disruption, turmoil, frustration, or imbalance in your daily life tasks. My goal is to assist you in finding solutions that bring healing, harmony, balance, and restoration into your life. If you are open to starting your healing journey, please contact me today!

Life can be very confusing. When a person walks into a therapy room for the first time, they are often emotionally bruised and looking for some clarity about their world and their own responses to events and circumstances. It is a privilege for me as a therapist to help the people I work with to make sense of it all. I help my clients learn to listen to themselves with respect, compassion, and curiosity. People can develop this courageous curiosity when they learn to have faith that whatever they find out about themselves makes sense and is coming from a decent place. It is often difficult to cultivate the habit of validating one's own thoughts and feelings (especially if one has long experience of doing the opposite), but it is extremely rewarding as the changes begin to be noticeable.

I'm a somatic therapist who works with clients to heal trauma and manage depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. In session, I help you connect with your body and use techniques that restore your relationship with yourself. Whether it's supporting clients with chronic illness and autoimmune disorders, or recovering from childhood and religious trauma, somatic methods help you repair physically, mentally, and spiritually. Together we process pain through breathing, movement, curiosity, and expression to find a new purpose. I can help you find liberation in your change, identity, and growth journey. My therapeutic practice is rooted in liberation, decolonization, and anti-racism. I have supported people across the lifespan for over a decade. I'm trained in many treatment methods of trauma including TF-CBT and somatic therapy, and I teach graduate-level trauma courses. I am licensed in DC, MD, and VA, and I offer a free 15-minute consult call. I am a therapist who will sit with you in your pain and hold space with compassion. I will also be direct with you in times when you don’t get that elsewhere. Whatever we're tackling in session, I'm invested in you and will remind you that you have what it takes to heal. I'll be there to help you find it, use it, and discover the freedom in that healing.

If you feel anxious, sad, overwhelmed, or stuck, if you are frustrated by your family or relationships, navigating a challenging life transition, or are worn out by the stress of work, life, or parenting, my practice may be a good fit for you. My therapy style is collaborative, warm, and nonjudgmental, with room for humor. Together, we will work to improve your symptoms, gain a deeper understanding of your concerns, and bring about lasting change. I have extensive experience with college students, young adults, and mid-career professionals, with a particular focus on individuals navigating life transitions such as graduation, relationship changes, and the transition to parenthood. I also work well with clients who feel stuck professionally, struggle with work-life balance, or are considering a career change.

Are you unsatisfied with your life? Are you exhausted with arguing? Do you want to feel better but are currently so unenthusiastic that you don't know how? Now you are struggling to perform at work and your relationships are suffering. You are not alone. I will help you restore order to your life. You already have tools to change now; together we will reach a solution. My specialty is offering clarity for success. I believe I can guide you in your quest for a better self and that the problems in your life are fixable once their origins are identified and explored. My therapy is an interesting journey that spurs curiosity and growth so that you can attain lasting change. I know seeking help is tough but today you have taken a very important step. You deserve to feel better now. Call me for a confidential consultation today.