Self-Harming Therapists in Bethesda, MD

Sometimes the reasons people seek therapy are hard to pinpoint or articulate. Other times the totally unexpected brings a person into therapy. Often it is the thing one least wants to discuss. The reasons are countless, but they always matter. They affect our thoughts and our relationships, often quite deeply. My purpose as a therapist is to develop a relationship and a context that feels restorative and safe through which my patients and I can grapple with any and all concerns imaginable. Through intimate conversation and our shared experience emerge feelings, buried fears, and the previously unknowable.

My goal throughout our time together is to first create a space where the client feels comfortable and empowered to explore his/her emotions. In doing so, I help individuals identify the things that are most affecting their mental health and work collaboratively with clients to develop healthy habits that will positively affect one’s life. Sessions will include talk-therapy, reflection, and the development of healthy coping skills using a client-centered model. I hope to make each client feel as though their mental health is a priority and that they are worthy of clarity and happiness.

Reaching out to a therapist can be a difficult decision and a brave choice. In my practice, I work with my clients to build upon strengths that already exist to help you gain the skills to reach their fullest potential. I would like to help you have the opportunity to create meaningful change in your daily lives. I provide psychotherapy to children, adolescents, individuals and their families who are struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, ADHD, and learning challenges. I have experience advocating for clients in the form of working with teachers, participating in IEP meetings, and educating the community.

My passion is to improve the lives of my clients, offering them new insight, enabling them to see things from different perspectives, and empowering them to make new choices. I work with each client as a whole individual, utilizing an active and collaborative approach. I tailor evidenced-based strategies to best meet the need of each client that I serve. My client base includes individuals, couples, groups, and families. I provide treatment and counseling for anxiety, depression, grief, emotional regulation issues, self-esteem, relationship concerns, and parenting.

Amy has over a decade of experience working with children, adolescents, and families in a variety of settings, including outpatient mental health, school-based, and private practice. She is dedicated to helping children and families navigate life’s challenges. Amy’s approach to therapy involves creating a safe and supportive environment for her clients where she uses cognitive behavioral therapy and play therapy techniques to help clients experiencing a range difficulties, including anxiety, OCD, depression, ADHD, emotional dysregulation, and behavior issues.

My greatest passion as a therapist is to help my clients lead a meaningful life aligned with their values and goals. I approach therapy collaboratively and support my clients as they work to develop new solutions to old problems. I help my clients build self-reliance through identifying what makes their life meaningful and taking committed actions towards achieving their goals. Therapy with me will look like a space with consistent, meaningful support while incorporating warmth, sensitivity, a sense of humor (at times) and a strong therapeutic alliance.

Thank you for visiting my profile! I am a Marriage & Family Therapist, & native of Bethesda, Maryland, with over 25 years experience working with individuals, families, & couples. My primary areas of interest include: relationship & marital counseling, family counseling, & solution-focused therapy. My approach is both engaging & encouraging, & my knowledge-base reflects my many years working in a variety of settings, including as a director in both inpatient and outpatient mental health agencies & substance abuse programs.

At DBT Maryland, we believe that in order to grow and make changes in their lives, people need validation, support and practical skills. We strive to provide empathic, accepting and productive therapeutic relationships so you can feel safe while moving toward your goals. Each person's situation is unique and our therapy approach will be designed to meet your individual needs. Many of our clients suffer from problems of emotional dysregulation (borderline personality, PTSD, depression, anxiety & bipolar) most effectively addressed by a comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program.

I have experience working with adults suffering from severe psychiatric illnesses and substance abuse, as well as kids, adolescents, adults and families with a variety of mental health needs. I am interested and skilled in addressing issues pertaining to relationship struggles, stress, difficulty paying attention and functioning in school, and mood difficulties related to anxiety and depression. I welcome the opportunity to work with clients of various ages and backgrounds, helping them find and utilize their own unique strengths and abilities to meet their treatment goals.

Katie specializes in PTSD, adoption/foster care issues, helping people who are suffering from chronic illnesses. Katie has an interest in how we can develop second careers as “retire” and reinvent ourselves to use our wealth of wisdom.

My background as a family therapist means that I am trained to look at problems within a relational framework, whether that be between people, social systems, or the varied components of self within a single individual. The longer I practice, the more I believe that suffering and symptoms arise when we are disconnected from these relationships; disconnected from our bodies, from our emotions, from our needs, from our communities, and from others…

Individuals, families and couples realize, at some time, they need assistance to effectively deal with overwhelming life events, strained relationships, loss, anger, and life transitions. For over 20 years I have successfully helped people break self-defeating, unfulfilling patterns of relating and behaving so they can experience more joy, happiness and success in their personal and professional lives. I use a blend of psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral and family systems therapy. My clients find me to be a very direct, open and engaging therapist, who provides safe space for even the most difficult issues and conflicts to be addressed and resolved.

Opening up around the vulnerable and intimate details of our lives can be very uncomfortable. There is so much pressure to be “happy”, “better”, or “perfect”, while receiving messaging that being anything else is unacceptable. We are very adaptive yet often struggle to effectively get our needs met, so may engage in avoidance behaviors and withhold or internalize our feelings to try to prevent things from getting worse. You want to feel more like your true self and get more satisfaction out of your relationships. You need an unconditionally supportive, non-judgmental, creative, and humorous therapist who accepts you however you are.

A unique perspective of persons as inherently dignified, supported by philosophic and scientific education and study, informs my holistic view of the person sitting in front of me during the process of psychotherapy. With mindful attentiveness and by gently confronting obstacles and threats to emotional health and relational satisfaction in a collaborative manner, the patients I work with are able to experience an increase in personal resilience simultaneous to undergoing the process of cathartic healing. My use of techniques drawn from an array of professional proclivities creates a safe relationship that nourishes innate strengths

My individual clients include those dealing with mental health challenges; making decisions about career or relationships; or pursuing more fulfilling approaches to life. I work with couples of all ages, stages, and compositions, addressing communication, infidelity, loss of passion, infertility, parenting, strengthening relationships, and deciding. I work with couples struggling to decide if and how to continue to work on deeply troubled relationships and solidifying commitment. I see families dealing with communication issues, creating appropriate boundaries, and working through separation, divorce, and blended family issues .

I embrace an eclectic and collaborative approach to therapy, where working with clients and their families to develop the necessary skills and strategies to overcome life's challenges is the primary goal! In therapy, I strive to create an environment where clients feel both heard and supported but also where they are encouraged to take an active role in the therapeutic process. In addition to working with clients both individually as well as in groups, I have experience working with children, adolescents and young adults in Intensive Outpatient (IOP) treatment programs as well as in a University Counseling Center setting.

Does your child have trouble dealing with their emotions? Is their behavior sometimes disruptive to your home life? Have they experienced sudden loss or trauma? As they grow, children and adolescents develop social skills and emotional intelligence. This awareness helps them to develop into healthy, happy, and successful individuals. But some children have trouble processing their emotions and this often leads to behavior that negatively impacts their school life, home life and overall well-being. Therapy offers children and adolescents a safe space to work through their thoughts and emotions.

Are you or a loved one struggling with feeling down, overwhelmed by life's stressors, need help in overcoming social challenges, or just want someone to talk to? I understand how stressful it can be to deal with depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and overall sense of hopeless and helplessness. I strive to provide compassionate and meaningful counseling that empowers you to overcome a myriad of life challenges.

I help individuals, couples and families reconnect with and draw strength from the goodness in themselves as they cultivate positive behaviors and new perspectives on life. I specialize in untangling the patterns that cause us harm, including avoidance, addiction, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic suffering, self harm, suicidal ideation, and low self esteem. I help couples and families find more wholesome and supportive ways to connect and care for each other.