As far as I can remember, I have always been a counselor. As a kid, adults would seat next to me on the bus and tell me the problems of their day. I soon learned the value of listening and discovered this was the profession for me. I then went to college and got a BS Degree and later an MSW in Social Work. I became licensed in VA, Maryland and DC. With over thirty years doing crisis intervention, individual therapy, group therapy, and case management; I would like to help you through modern technology, to conquer your fears, discover why things are not working right and why you keep doing the same wrong things repeatedly.

I've been a professional counselor for over 31 years working at several very interesting locations during my career. I spent over 12 years at the National Institutes of health serving a wide spectrum of clients from some of the leading health researchers in the world to the hardworking staff workers from executive administrators to cafeteria custodians. I was the senior staff EAP representative and crisis counselor during the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11/2001, the anthrax attack in Washington D.C. two weeks later and the D.C. Sniper about a year later. Subsequently I gained a tremendous amount of first line experience assisting people with stress and trauma as well as the milieu of issues facing any employee of such a large institution. After a 12 year stint at the NIH I was recruited to work with DOD and the United States military around the country assisting soldiers and their families with the complicated relationship and individual stress brought about by multiple combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas on conflict in the world. My experiences have given me a tremendous amount of training and skills honing toward helping people deal with a multitude of issues. I know how difficult it can be to ask for help and I applaud you for your courage in coming to this site to seek a solution to issues in life which can indeed be challenging. I look forward to working along with you on your journey of change and personal improvement. My style is relaxed and accepting with the aim of providing my client a safe and non-judgmental venue with which to explore their current situation. My approaches are somewhat eclectic using motivational interviewing to center on specific areas of conflict or distress and applying various modes of cognitive behavioral therapy to help effect change . Areas of Expertise: Stress Management Processing Trauma Grief and Loss The Navigation of sudden change, both personal and professional/vocational Generalized and Specific Anxiety

I am a licensed counselor in Maryland and Delaware. I have had extensive experience with abuse and trauma, and a range of personal problems and mental illnesses. Following 35 years in a special education school, working primarily with adolescents and their families, I transitioned to private practice close to ten years ago. Since then, I have worked primarily one on one with adults of all ages. Those I currently work with would likely describe me as easy-going, supportive, informal, practical and nonjudgmental. I have considerable respect for anyone who decides to pause at some point in their life and address issues and concerns that might affect quality of life. This takes courage, openness and hopefulness. I can draw on many different approaches however, key to the process, in my opinion, is a partnership and therapeutic relationship. I tend to be psychodynamically-oriented, however I value immediate needs and therefore changing behavior in the here and now may often be the priority. Relatedly, changing thinking patterns and thoughts in the here and now can also be a priority. Hopefully, you can (or will ????), believe that you can change behaviors and thoughts. Given the current pandemic, I have learned to provide therapeutic services remotely. I am surprised at how effective and practical this can be. This is essentially, the basis for my joining Better Help. Please feel free to ask me 100 questions.

Hi, I am Erin, I am a licensed counselor in the state of Maryland. I help children, adolescents, adults, caregivers, and people wanting to grow their families. I have a wealth of experience, training, and knowledge in many areas, and my goals are to work with my client to reach their highest potential. My therapeutic approach is focused on a collaborative effort to identify individual strengths and needs, develop meaningful goals, and to explore the necessary steps to attain those goals. My approach leads to increased self-esteem, learning, and attaining the supports that are out there — and teaching you to learn how to transition to a positive lens. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, parenting problems, career challenges, OCD and ADHD. I believe treatment should be as unique as your situation. And I will utilize eclectic methods to help you reach your fullest potential. I am a believer that each case should be treated as each client is unique and therefore utilizes an eclectic source of techniques. When working with children as young as four, I believe that parent involvement is essential, and likes to work with both the parents and the child individually and in a group setting. This may include adding in siblings or other family members so everyone can work as a whole to benefit the child and family. I want my clients to learn how to control their negative self-talk, and therefore, will utilize cognitive-behavioral strategies. I also do not shy away from multisensory and tactile work with her younger clientele. I am only providing messaging and live messaging services and occasional phone sessions. If this is something that you were interested in I am so happy to work with you. I will be checking in Monday through Friday. I can't wait to begin our work together!

I was pretty lost in my teens dealing with my parent's divorce, relocation, depression, anger and I did not know how to ask for help. I just hid my feelings, kept busy with work and school and no one ever knew how I was suffering on the inside. I got through college, had a nice career, got married but was still not feeling whole on the inside. My world totally blew up when my husband suddenly died in my early 30's. That was my breaking point..... but I didn't break. I got help. I started counseling to deal with the ugly stuff in my past and to get to a place that I could even begin to heal. I stuck with it as much as it scared me to look inside. And... I started to heal. I also found my passion of helping others to move forward in their lives. The key is to identify your thinking patterns that hold you back and change them to a more realistic and motivating message. When our thoughts are more inline we feel better and our behaviors follow as well. I will help you identify how you hold yourself back, help you set goals, and work with you to make the changes you want in your life. It is such an enlightening experience and we may even have some laughs along the way.

Marty integrates a range of therapeutic approaches, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, to support clients facing various life challenges. His goal is to create a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can deepen their self-understanding and harness their inner wisdom and resilience to foster growth and overcome obstacles. For adults, Marty provides guidance through significant life stages and transitions, such as managing relationships between adult children and aging parents or preparing for and adapting to retirement. He understands the emotional and practical complexities of these changes and offers targeted support and strategies for navigating them successfully. For young adults transitioning from college to the workforce, Marty addresses the uncertainties they may encounter: what to expect in the workplace and how to prepare emotionally and practically for this new chapter. He equips them with tailored tools to build emotional readiness and resilience as they step into professional life. In a world where the path to adulthood has grown increasingly complex, Marty is dedicated to helping young adults develop confidence and adaptability. For teens, Marty provides personalized support for managing the unique pressures they face, including the rising anxiety linked to academics and travel sports. Additionally, Marty helps high school students and young adults make well-informed choices about their educational and career paths, whether that involves college or trade options. He also guides students through major educational milestones, from transitioning between school levels to choosing between local and out-of-state colleges. If you or someone you care about is ready to embark on a journey toward positive change and growth, reach out to Marty today to start the path toward meaningful progress and fulfillment. Marty is committed to working collaboratively to achieving your goals.

I am a licensed therapist located in Southern Maryland. I have been practicing therapy for over ten years, first working for a nonprofit agency, now in private practice. I have two masters degrees (MA: English, William and Mary; MS: Counseling, Johns Hopkins). At my previous position, I worked with both children and adults. My primary theoretical orientations are Rogerian (Client Centered), and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). My empathetic nature, listening skills, and practical suggestions have led to successful outcomes with my clients throughout my counseling career. I taught English and Latin in a public high school for over thirty years prior to my counseling career. I have two grown, married children. My personal interests include reading, photography, music, and spending time with my one year old golden retriever, Henry.

My name is Janet L. Hughes. I graduated with my Masters in Social Work in July 2001. I went to the University of Florida for undergrad studies. I would first like to acknowledge the courage it takes to identify a need for change. I would be honored to assist in your seeking and healing process. You are the expert in your life and we will work together collaboratively to focus on the issues requiring action or attention. I am a licensed clinical social worker. I have a licence in DC, Maryland and Virginia. I have worked with people suffering from depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and Trauma for over 20 years. I am also certified in addiction. I feel confident that we can develop a working relationship that facilitates personal growth and empowerment. I use cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT and mindfulness techniques. In my individual sessions, I offer empathy, transparency and support. I am here, awaiting your contact to begin your journey to a better you.

Hi, my name is Allison and I am a Licensed Independent Social Worker with six years of experience working in the mental health and behavioral health fields. I am a rostered Child-Parent Psychotherapy provider as well as a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional. I have received training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Theraplay among other modalities. I have experience working with individuals dealing with symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma. My counseling style is client-driven. I truly believe that the key to reaching desired outcomes is a positive therapeutic alliance and I look forward to forming such an alliance with you.

I am licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia with 25 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, & career difficulties. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

My name is Meg and I am a licensed clinical social worker in both Pennsylvania and Maryland with 35 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with depression, motivation, self esteem, confidence, relationship and workplace issues, coping with life changes, aging, caregiver stress and coping with grief and loss. I've got lots to offer and I look forward to helping you discover all that you have to offer in working through your current challenges. We've got this!

I am licensed in Virginia with 20 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & career difficulties. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

I am a licensed clinical professional counselor in Maryland with over 10 years of professional work experience. Before becoming a therapist I taught high school students with emotional and behavioral disorders. I also have a background in art. My experience in community mental health has included school-based, in-home, in-office, and telehealth modalities. I have worked with children, adolescents, families, couples, groups and individual adult clients from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of diagnoses. I have experience working with clients in managing stressful life changes, anxiety, depression, mood dysregulation, trauma, relationship issues, grief, and psychosis. I have worked with couples with the goal to repair trust, improve communication, and strengthen their emotional intimacy with each other. I work from a psychodynamic perspective, also drawing from Cognitive Behaviorial therapy, ACT, DBT, Gestalt, Internal Family Systems, Mindfulness and somatic approaches, to meet individual client needs. I believe that it is important for clients to gain insight and understanding of symptoms while working to better cope with, manage and resolve them. I collaborate with clients to identify and achieve their therapeutic goals. My goal is to meet you where you are, and help you find and reinforce your strengths to overcome challenges, and make meaningful changes in your life. I will do my best to support you on this path.

I am licensed in District of Columbia and Maryland with 27 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with addictions, trauma and abuse, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

I am licensed in Maryland with 8 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with grief and loss, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & depression. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!