My communication style is direct along with a helpful challenging hand to help move you toward the healthy change and restoring the life balance you seek.

Rachel Francis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a Master’s in Social Work and four years of experience providing therapy in outpatient settings, both in person and via telehealth. Rachel has also worked with youth and families in home-based settings for two years. Her clinical focus includes anxiety, depression, self-harm, and support for the LGBTQ+ community.

My approach to helping is grounded in compassion, respect, and a person-centered understanding of each individual’s unique experiences and needs. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Maryland, I strive to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where individuals feel heard, valued, and empowered. Through collaboration, evidence-based practices, and a strengths-focused approach, I help individuals identify their strengths, overcome challenges, develop healthy coping strategies, and work toward meaningful and lasting change.

Accepting new clients- Life is hard. Most of us want to think that it gets easier but that only occurs when our skills (emotional, mental, physical, spiritual) improve. Therapy is the perfect place to learn and practice new skills while getting the encouragement to make it through life's toughest moments. And I am ready for you. I work with all clients and specialize in the BlackBrown communities, LGBTQ population, couples, and adolescents. I value intersectionality, solutions-focused work, and holistic practices. I specialize in following therapies: cognitive-behavioral, play, solutions-focused & strengths based. I value & support parent educationcounseling especially as parents navigate through the school system while raising a child with mental health concerns. I strongly value a holistic & organic approach to mental health progress. As a Counselor in an urban setting, I understand the time and transportation constraints that many clients may face. Therefore, I am able to provide on-site services (in-home andor confidential setting) or in my office.

Many people come to therapy because they are tired of surviving. They may be struggling with the effects of trauma, grief and loss, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, or life transitions that have left them feeling disconnected from themselves and others. I believe our struggles make more sense when they are understood within the context of our life experiences, relationships, and the environments that shaped us. The ways we learn to trust, protect ourselves, connect with others, and understand our worth are often influenced by experiences that occurred long before we recognized their impact. My approach is trauma-informed, attachment-based, and culturally responsive. I work with individuals, couples, and families to explore patterns that may no longer serve them, heal unresolved wounds, strengthen relationships, and build a greater sense of clarity, connection, and purpose. I integrate EMDR and other evidence-based approaches to help clients process difficult experiences while developing new ways of relating to themselves and others. Therapy is not about fixing what is broken. It is about understanding your story, recognizing your strengths, and creating space for healing, growth, and meaningful change.

Therapy is a journey that gives us the opportunity to find our genuine selves and ultimately become the best person we can be. Through therapy, profound and lasting change and growth can occur. I am a doctor of psychology as well as a licensed independent clinical social worker. I have deep expertise in working with addiction and recovery issues, alcoholism, as well as family, relationship, and couples issues. I have spent more than 20 years in the psychotherapy field. I work with adolescents and adults in individual, family, and couple modalities. As a therapist, my approach to therapy is to meet you at your current place in life and to support you to advance toward your objectives, work past obstacles, and attain supreme growth. I utilize various therapeutic approaches, comprising psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and strength-based techniques.

From a space of non-judgment and sensitivity, I believe it is my job to provide a supportive environment for us to explore patterns that contribute to the pain and challenges of your everyday life. I aim to bring light to different ways of being, so you can experience less pain, more satisfaction, and a better quality of life. We all get stuck at some point in our lives. It is my job to be present in those "stuck" moments so that we may collaborate in discovering the origins of the pain while identifying a path to well-being that fits for you.

My 25+ years of experience has taught me the importance of making the time to listen and understand before I start making suggestions. This involves understanding each person's life story, administering assessment tools, reviewing relevant records, and interviewing other people that my client and I agree should be involved. I believe strongly in evaluating strengths as well as pain, with my feedback emphasizing the former. I also believe in letting my clients know about what research-based treatments are available to them so that we can collaborate in experiencing transformative change ASAP. I believe in setting life-altering goals before beginning, and checking on progress as we go. My intention is to promote healing, wellness, and happiness as thoroughly and as effectively as possible. With child and teen clients, I use a variety of methods to make each person comfortable (e.g., I use magic to connect with kids and teens, referring to myself as a wizard).

Welcome. I believe that meaningful change begins with a strong therapeutic relationship built on trust, authenticity, and collaboration. My goal is to create a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you can feel comfortable exploring your thoughts, emotions, and experiences without fear of criticism. Together, we'll work to better understand the patterns that may be keeping you stuck, build on your existing strengths, and develop practical strategies to help you move toward a more fulfilling life. My approach is integrative and tailored to each individual's unique needs. Drawing from cognitive-behavioral, dialectical, relational, and other evidence-based approaches, I adapt therapy to fit your goals rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all model. Whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, identity development, life transitions, or the stresses of everyday life, I strive to provide therapy that is compassionate, insightful, and grounded in practical change. I have particular expertise in working with postpartum mood and anxiety disorders and completed advanced training in perinatal mental health through Postpartum Support International. I have extensive experience supporting college students, graduate students, and young professionals through my years working in university counseling centers. I also provide LGBTQ+ affirming care, creating a welcoming and inclusive space where clients can explore issues related to identity, relationships, and life transitions with authenticity and support. Above all, I value creating a therapeutic experience where you feel understood, respected, and empowered to make lasting change.

At Starobin Counseling we focus on helping people repair and strengthen their relationships with themselves and their relationships with others. We regard relationships as central to the therapeutic process. Some challenges in life are purely personal, but most problems express themselves in the intersections people have with other people. Therapy helps people repair their inner selves, often injured by relational ruptures, and learn and practice being in relational health with one another. Therapy helps people hear themselves think, experience feelings, gain new perspectives. We help people recognize and strengthen their own vitality and resiliency so they can unlock their capacity for compassionate and meaningful connections. We are a neurodiversity-minded, neurodiversity-affirming, gender-affirming, and culturally aware and sensitive practice.

I’m a Psychologist who uses a contemporary psychoanalytic approach that looks beneath the surface to understand patterns, emotions, and the deeper story shaping your life. My style is warm, curious, and collaborative. I don’t just listen; I help you connect the dots. Together, we make meaning of your struggles, fostering lasting change, healing, and a more authentic way of living.

Elena Papathanassiou is a Master of Social Work (MSW), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia who provides therapeutic care to teens and adults seeking help with depression, anxiety, trauma, suicidality, and LGBTQIA+ concerns. She strives to maintain a high level of cultural competency while working with diverse groups of people, with sensitivity to the unique struggles of those with intersecting identities. She completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Pittsburgh and her Master of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University.