“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude about it” … Maya Angelou
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is for one person. It works best when that person can make decisions and take actions on their own without needing much help or permission from others. Because of this, I don’t provide individual counseling for children or young teens unless I work with their family i.e., at least a parent or guardian, prior to working with the child or teen.
Family Counseling
Family counseling involves at least two people who are related. It helps family members change how they talk and act with each other so they can solve problems, support each other, and get along better. Even when one person seems to have the challenge that brings a family to counseling, e.g., an addiction problem, the entire family must understand that person’s needs and learn how to meet them.
Family counseling is how I prefer to work with children and young teens. Because they usually don’t make decisions or changes by themselves, the adults who care for them should be part of the process.
Groups
Sometimes, a small group of people who are not related can come together to work on a shared goal. When the goal is to treat a specific condition, it is a counseling group e.g., a group to teach people with anger problems how to manage their anger effectively. If the goal is to educate people about a condition, in general, it is a psychoeducational group, e.g., a group that teaches anyone about anger, whether they have an anger problem or not.
Here are some examples of groups I offer:
Anxiety Group – In this group, you will learn what causes anxiety and how to manage it. We talk about helpful skills that make you feel more confident and help you reach your goals.
Anger Management – DRAMA stands for Dispute Resolution and Managing Anger. This group helps you notice when you’re getting angry, understand what sets you off, and learn how to express your anger in a healthy way without hurting yourself or others.
Succeeding in School – This group is for students who find school difficult. We talk about why school matters and what makes it tough. You learn helpful skills like setting goals, using your time wisely, getting organized, and asking for help when you need it.
Special Education Advocacy
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
Dealing with the school issues of a child with disability can be challenging and can create a lot of distress for families. My goal is to help families understand and cope better with their children’s disabilities, work more effectively with their children’s schools, and ask for the help their children need more clearly and confidently.
I do not provide legal counsel or educational/psychological testing, but I can:
- Go over school and testing documents and explain what they really mean for your family.
- Work with you to figure out how your family can effectively support your child.
- Explain your rights as a parent and what you could request from your child’s school.
- Talk to school staff on your behalf.
- Prepare you for and/or attend school meetings with you.
- Write letters or provide paperwork to support requests to your child’s school.
Pre-Marital Education
This helps couples get ready for marriage. Using the Prepare/Enrich assessment, it
shows couples their strengths (what they are good at) and their opportunities (where
they can grow). It also teaches important skills like communication, conflict
resolution, and managing stress. Couples learn more about each other’s
personalities and how they function together so they can enter marriage prepared
for a stronger, more balanced relationship.
Mental Health Presentations
These are talks that teach people about mental health, and so they can cover any topic depending on the needs of the audience.
Finances
All counseling services are virtual and cost between $85 and $185, depending on the type of service. You will receive a Good Faith Estimate of what your services may cost if you will pay out-of-pocket and not use insurance. The cost for special education and mental health presentation is determined on a case-by-case basis.
I accept these insurance plans:
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
- Optum (United Healthcare)
- Evernorth (Cigna)
- Maryland Medicaid
If I do not accept your insurance, you will have to pay out-of-pocket but I can give you a receipt to submit to your insurance company to try to get some money back. Please check with your insurance company to find out how much they will pay you back.