Washington Psychological Wellness

Washington Psychological Wellness is a boutique-style mental health clinic located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Our counselors, therapists, and psychologists have a passion for helping members of the Montgomery County, Maryland community fulfill their mental health & wellness goals. Our therapists provide an integrative, holistic, therapeutic approach to treatment and have specialized knowledge and training in individual, adult, adolescent, child, couples, and family therapy and the treatment of various mental health concerns. We value honesty, authenticity, integrity, inclusivity, and equal respect for ALL individuals. Whether you are facing anxiety, depression, OCD, eating concerns, low self-esteem, divorce, anger problems, bipolar disorder, lack of motivation, mood disorder, social phobia, ADHD, grief, loss, PTSD, trauma, personality disorders, LGBTQ-related concerns, or just overall life dissatisfaction, our therapists are here to help. Washington Psychological Wellness is currently accepting new clients. We are proud to offer HIPAA-compliant telehealth (online therapy) appointments. Contact us now to schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation!

COVID Update: We are grateful and honored to be able to provide support to the community during this incredibly challenging time. For the safety of our clients, staff, and the community-at-large, we encourage clients to choose tele-health appointments when possible. Do you want support, but find it challenging to make it to an appointment? Now you don’t have to commute or even leave home. Online counseling will allow us to work collaboratively in a supportive environment, wherever is most convenient for you. Washington Psychological Wellness provides counseling via confidential, real time, 2-way video. Our clinicians use a HIPAA-compliant secure video conferencing to make online-based therapy convenient and confidential. All you need is a comfortable private space, internet connection and a smart phone, tablet, laptop or personal computer. When you schedule your appointment, a secure video link is created for your appointment and sent to you via email. When it's time for your scheduled appointment, simply click the link and we will be connected!

In couples therapy, our clinicians will facilitate communication between you and your partner to uncover the roots of the conflict you're having, help you understand each others' feelings, and change behavior to better meet each others' needs. Some concerns our clinicians can help you with in couples therapy: Conflict and disagreements Difficulty communicating Sexual concerns or lack of sex in relationship Healing from an affair Multicultural relational problems You may fear that talking about your relationship issues is going to make them worse. Sometimes things feel worse before they feel better, but most couples experience greater understanding and closeness as a result of therapy.

Therapy with Children: We have specialists for every age and stage across the lifespan. Our child therapists often engage through play, creativity, and movement. Your involvement as a parent or caregiver is essential to the success of your child’s treatment. Your first step will be a comprehensive intake with your child’s therapist so that we can get to know your child’s strengths and areas for growth. We view parents as important experts on their children, and therefore as an essential member of the team, as we collaborate to create a plan to help relieve the distress, to build skills to help your child be more resilient, and to increase the joy and connection in your family. Therapy with Adolescents/Teens: Adolescence is a critical time of transition in a person’s life, full of significant change and growth. As children enter this period in their lives they are figuring out who they are while juggling shifting roles in their family, expectations, peer and academic pressures. This time can be turbulent and difficult for the whole family to navigate, often wrought with confusion and frustration. How does one negotiate their identity no longer relating to others as a child, but not yet as an adult? Who do they trust to support them in this endeavor? On this search, teens are in desperate need of compassion, empathy, and an endless amount of patience. Such understanding also must be within the frame of clear consistent boundaries, which is not an easy task for parents juggling myriad personal, professional, and familial relationships. Many youths are in need of a sanctuary from the struggles, insecurities, and isolation they face, where they can explore who they are with a non-judgmental, outside source. In working with teens, our clinicians first and foremost foster a space where they feel truly safe to open up and trust in the relationship. This is balanced with involving parents, other family members, and persons of importance in the teen’s life as appropriate, in the best interest of the adolescent’s growth and development. Therapy can help teens and adolescents develop a more secure and healthy identity and understanding of themselves, improve communication skills, and resolve conflicts both inside and outside the home. Our clinicians are specialized in working with teens and adolescents on a variety of issues including: Parent-Child Conflict Anxiety and Mood Disorders Poor Communication Interpersonal Difficulties Defiance and Acting Out Academic Struggles / Performance Issues of Identity Risk-Taking Behaviors Withdrawal, Sadness, & Loneliness Substance Use Peer Pressure & Relationship Problems Self-esteem Building LGBTQ Identity Issues Stress Management

A psychological evaluation can help clarify diagnoses, inform treatment, and/or highlight potential academic, workplace, or testing accommodations to optimize a person's performance in these settings. Mental health diagnoses are not simply a list of symptoms. Consequently, a comprehensive evaluation can include an array of objective and subjective measures such as IQ tests, achievement measures, personality assessments, questionnaires, interviews, etc. in order to gain an understanding of your psychological functioning. Findings from such tests can highlight information important to help you better understand yourself, receive effective treatment, and determine appropriate interventions to improve functioning. We construct each test battery to fit the needs of the examinee and to thoroughly address the referral question(s). Testing procedures usually last several hours. Once all tests have been administered, the examiner will score and interpret the results and then incorporate the information into a comprehensive report. You will have the opportunity to discuss the results with the examiner once the report is complete. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, you are encouraged to discuss them at any point throughout the testing procedures. Potential reasons a person may be referred for psychological testing include (but are not limited to): · To clarify a diagnosis (i.e., ADHD, Learning Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, etc.) · For specific treatment recommendations · To determine appropriate accommodations for school, work, or testing environments · For entrance into a program or organization (i.e., MENSA) · To fulfill a job requirement · To plan for your future and help you reach your full potential · To assess strengths and weaknesses · To explore underlying reasons that might impact functioning · To determine severity of symptoms and level of impairment · Personal interest