In the first few sessions, I prioritize getting to know you and building trust, which sets the stage for honest self-exploration and collaborative problem-solving.
Andrea's
Therapy Specialties
Anxiety, Depression, Disordered Eating and Exercise, Self Esteem, Perfectionism, Emotion Regulation Training, Sexual and Gender Identity, and Cultural Stress
Together, we will explore how you got to where you are today, discover patterns, find ways of healing emotional wounds, and appreciate and build your strengths.
Collaboration in therapy is key. Together, we will develop a “working model,” a thoughtful context that links together the various factors maintaining the problems you bring to therapy. This becomes our “roadmap.” By raising awareness of problematic experiences and the barriers that have been impeding change, we are able to challenge unhelpful thoughts, emotions, and behavior and find more effective ways of responding to difficult situations.
I enjoy helping clients build confidence and mastery in their ability to experience and express emotions, assert their needs, and engage in values-based actions to feel fully present, effective, and satisfied with their quality of life. Building healthy, sustainable habits takes willingness, consistency, and creativity to overcome challenges along the way. You can trust that this change will happen on your terms and at your own pace with gentle nudges along the way.
I practice cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). These treatments are “evidence-based,” meaning they have been studied extensively and shown to be effective in a variety of concerns such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. I believe that symptoms like depression and anxiety typically develop from our attempts to adapt to early life experiences.
Treatment is adapted to meet your individual needs. I have a strong interest in LGBTQIA+ identity, cultural stress, and discrimination. Appreciation for the unique interactions between your environment, identity, and mental health provides perspective, validates your lived experience, and helps foster acceptance, connection, and resiliency.
I am fluent in Portuguese and proficient in Spanish.
I earned my doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the American School for Professional Psychology at Argosy University, DC. I completed an APA-accredited internship at the Northeastern Oklahoma Psychology Internship Program in Tulsa, Oklahoma with placements at Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital and the University of Tulsa. I bring extensive experience in the assessment and treatment of eating disorders and emotion dysregulation. Previously, I worked at Eating Recovery Center of Maryland, formerly The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt, where I coordinated an outpatient DBT program.
I see clients aged 15 and above.
Clients describe Andrea as warm, accepting, direct, and practical.
Andrea’s past experiences includes:
Outpatient Psychologist and Dialectical Behavior Program Coordinator, Eating Recovery Center of MD (formerly the Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt)
Staff Counselor, University of Tulsa
Clinical Doctoral Extern, Children’s National Medical Center
Invited lecturer on eating disorders, assessment and treatment with LGBTQ patients, and severe mental illness: Sheppard Pratt, Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital, Association for the Psychoanalysis of Culture and Society, and Psychologists for Social Responsibility
Educational Background
PsyD, Argosy University
(Clinical Psychology)
B.S., Binghampton University, SUNY
(Psychobiology)
Other Practitioners
Rachel Greenberg Larson, M.A.
LCPC, Licensed counselor Baltimore, mD
Rachel enjoys working with individuals to explore and resolve underlying issues related to anxiety, depression, school and work performance, and grief and loss. Through the practice of evidenced based therapies, she believes that helping clients build on their strengths while incorporating new coping strategies is the key to successful therapeutic outcomes.
Jen McMillan M.S.,
LCPC, Licensed Counselor
Baltimore, MD
Jen enjoys working with individuals who may be dealing with past or present stresses in life that result in anxiety, depression, or difficulty with adjustment to major life events or changes. Jen cultivates a safe environment in which she works to provide the tools necessary for individuals to live a healthy, full, satisfying life.