Find a Therapist in Parkville, MD

As an extrovert, my behaviors and style of communication affirm my belief in establishing rapport and creating trust with clients. I consider helping others in the area of mental health my passion and purpose.

I aim to create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can openly express yourself. Through compassionate listening and collaborative dialogue, we'll work together to help you gain clarity, develop coping skills, and make positive changes.

I am here to help with anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, relationship issues, life transitions and more. Through respect, understanding, honesty and a touch of humor, therapy becomes a safe place to ease distress and accomplish goals. As we work together, therapy can help with easing symptoms, healing and recovery, improving life satisfaction, relationships and well being. I incorporate the wisdom and tools from various psychotherapy approaches. Some clients choose to include the calming effects of mindfulness or meditation as part of therapy. As a Psychotherapist, I - Listen for what you say, feel and mean, seeking to understand what life is like for you and what kind of life you desire. - Ask what you feel and believe about yourself and the world. - Help you connect with your internal and external resources for coping and change. - Consider how patterns and habits may be helping or keeping you stuck. - Provide information, feedback and guidance. - Help with coping, recovery and healing from life's most challenging and painful experiences. - Help you pursue your meaningful goals. - Plan with you ways to support your progress in between sessions and help positive changes last. - Look toward your creating more meaningful ways to approach daily life, relationships, health and emotional well being. I offer Psychotherapy and Teletherapy for adults and teens (16 and older) and Couples Therapy. Treatment is available in person, online or combined.

Dr. Emma Boateng is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with over 13 years of nursing practice. Emma has extensive experience in mental health, psycho-education, patient care, and chronic pain management. She uses evidence-based practice to achieve patient goals. Emma treats various conditions including depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), anxiety, posttraumatic stress (PTSD), bipolar, anger, relationship issues, griefloss, stress, obsessive compulsion (OCD), and eating issues. Emma believes every person is unique, creating individualized care plans for her clients. She puts her patients first and provides respectful care.

I am approved EMDRIA consultant. I provide a warm, empathic environment that allows you to explore the issues that have brought you to therapy. After this exploration I work with you to gain insight to the issues whether it be feeling "stuck" in the past, suffering with depression or anxiety, or a relationship, work or college concern. With this knowledge I work collaboratively with you to see you move to a place of action, to either process old memories that are keeping you "stuck", or to learn new skills to help you move forward. . I believe there is always hope and change is possible.

If you are struggling in your relationships, navigating a major life transition, or feeling stuck in patterns related to substance or behavioral addictions, you are not alone. Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, capable adults who find themselves repeating painful relational dynamics or feeling disconnected from the life they want to be living. Therapy can be a powerful place to understand why—and to begin doing something different. I specialize in working with adults from diverse cultural backgrounds who want more fulfilling relationships and a stronger sense of self. Together, we explore the patterns that may be contributing to your needs not being met. I help you to increase awareness of how these patterns developed and how they continue to show up in your life today. Insight is important—but real change happens through new experiences. When appropriate, I connect clients to therapy groups where they can practice new ways of relating and receive meaningful interpersonal feedback in a supportive environment.

My training as a mental health professional has taught me to be highly attuned to individuals' needs, with a strong desire to help my clients overcome life's difficulties. I know asking for help can be challenging, but I aim to build and maintain positive and effective therapeutic relationships built around the confidence and trust of my clients. In over a decade of experience, I have used a variety of approaches to meet my clients needs. I originally relied on cognitive-behavioral therapy, but I now use an eclectic approach, embracing psychoanalytic and existential approaches. I am also a licensed behavior specialist. I work with autism-spectrum clients to implement behavior programs that strengthen their skills and abilities. While in Europe, I gained expertise in progressive body relaxation.

I am a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)-BC) with 22 years of experience in the mental health field. I work with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and significant life transitions. My approach is grounded in warmth, understanding, and collaboration, and I focus on helping clients feel supported as they work toward healing, insight, and emotional balance.

People don't have to be in crisis to come to therapy; oftentimes, those who contact me are managing feelings that have been building up over time. I have niche experience working with medical professionals such as physicians, nurses and medical trainees and directed a new program at UNMC aimed at understanding burnout. I enjoy working with college and graduate students, international students, and did this at counseling centers like MIT. I especially like working with adults in general, and new parents. I completed my APA internship and postdoc in the Penn System where I saw a variety of people living with a range of feelings. I believe that addressing feelings and understanding where they stem from, and how to manage them, can help people navigate life's challenges in relationships, work, school, and beyond. I strive to create a safe, non-judgmental, emotionally rich and confidential environment for individuals to explore what's on their mind. Collaborating on other areas of your life that you may want to examine, such as your relationships with others (romantic, friendship, personal, professional) is something I find joy in. I look forward to meeting you and potentially working together to uncover not just what might be holding you back or keeping you up at night, but your strengths as well.

I provide short- and longer-term treatment by collaborating with clients to determine an approach that best meets their needs. SPECIALTIES: anxiety, depression, racial trauma, family conflict, LGBTQ challenges, parent-child relational issues, foster care, aging milestones, and parenting and divorce with high-conflict personalities. MODALITIES: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), and brief solution-focused therapy. I have over 10 years of professional experience working with individuals and families involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, as well as adult and aging services, and I provide individual and family counseling. I received a B.A. in Radio and Television from The George Washington University and spent 17 years in the television industry (C-SPAN, Fox News, Al Jazeera English, and the Discovery Channel). I have an MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University, and I began my social work career with foster care families before working with older adults.

At A Balanced Perspective LLC, we believe healing happens through consistent, ethical, and compassionate care. We serve adolescents, teens, youth, and adults through virtual and in-person services, offering integrated behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment grounded in trauma-informed practice. As a CARF-accredited provider, our work reflects established standards of quality, safety, and accountability. We support individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use challenges, major life transitions, as well as other behavioral health concerns. Additionally, we support those who are highly capable, driven, and accustomed to putting others first. Our clinicians understand that people are shaped not only by symptoms, but by systems, families, communities, responsibilities, and lived experiences. By integrating community-based care with clinical treatment, we help clients move toward sustainable healing and improved functioning. Reaching out for support can feel daunting. Our role is to provide a steady, respectful space where change can unfold at a pace that feels manageable and supported.

If someone is struggling with today's news and events, surviving a difficult upbringing, or wrestling with issues of identity, the best thing they can do for themselves is to find that safe, affirming space that allows them to speak freely without fear of judgement. My goal is to provide the emotional, physical, and affirming space for that very thing to happen. My clientele consists of students, mental health professionals, veterans, seniors, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I hold master's degrees in trauma informed counseling and the arts. Sometimes individuals have a block and the words are difficult to find. A more creative process can often reveal nonverbal cues and metaphors that can deepen understanding and healing. I help clients use imagery, symbolism, and creative expression to uncover meaning and insight. I currently work with individuals ages 8 and up, I have worked with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, grief and loss, life transitions, and trauma-related issues. I bring creativity, compassion, warmth, and a genuine desire to provide affirmation, and occasionally humor to foster a safe, affirming, and empowering environment.