Deborah Mulhern, Psychologist in Bethesda, 20814

Deborah Mulhern, Ph.D.

Profession(s):
Marriage & Family Therapy, Psychotherapy
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Clinical Psychologist - 2370

My Approach to Helping

If you are seeking therapy, it is very likely that you are experiencing alienation or conflict with a loved one or loves ones. Relationships are the cornerstone of our mental health. When our relationships are distressed, we feel distraught, anxious and depressed. We will often become self-defeating or even self-destructive. Neuroscientists are coming to believe that we are wired for connection with others and that, without it, our nervous systems cannot function as they are intended to. I teach clients about the social and emotional centers of the brain and how to use this knowledge to shift the ways in which they react to others as well as themselves. By becoming more mindful of your internal experiences and understanding them in light of simple neuroscientific principles, you will develop the skills of listening more openly, making more self-affirming decisions and strengthening positive mental states. You will discover the positive meanings behind the maddening behaviors of your spouse, your child or you parent. With this new perspective, you will be able to change entrenched patterns of hostility and defensiveness.

Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With

My specialty is working with couples and family members who experience high conflict, those who are entrenched in repetitive cycles of arguing/distancing as well as those who are alienated from a loved one. I also do Reunification Therapy.