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.

Are you your own worst critic? Maybe you can’t shake the feeling that your best is never good enough? Do the little things feel overwhelming? Is it hard for you to stick up for yourself and you’re left swallowing your anger or disappointment? My name is Liz Caritj and I work with people in high stress situations, particularly people working in the field of law or in rigorous academic programs, who feel like they’re falling apart trying to hold everything together perfectly. Clients come to me for a compassionate, and non-judgmental atmosphere. Gain better insight into unhelpful patterns and learn skills to change them. You can better understand the physical and emotional reactions and learn new tools to get through challenging situations. Imagine learning to trust yourself and letting go of your harsh inner critic. I love helping people feel less alone and discover how powerful they really are. It is my goal to provide a safe atmosphere where you can unburden yourself and we can sort it out together, find healthy coping skills, and make a plan to get what's most important back into your life. Reach out to me today so that we can get started! If you think I would be a good fit or are simply curious, please contact me to make an appointment or to request a free, brief (20-25 minute) phone consultation.

I think the most important part of being a good therapist is genuinely caring about the well-being of the people I work with. I am an empathic therapist, and work to create a warm and welcoming environment for those I see in therapy. This sets a foundation that enables us to talk about what brings you to therapy, whether it be hopes, struggles, fears, conflicts, etc. Together, we will explore your concerns and wishes, and uncover what is standing between what life is like now and what you want it to be. I will help you recognize and understand the barriers that keep you from feeling the way you want to feel, and work with you to break through those barriers, which can result in greater satisfaction in relationships, work, and day-to-day life. I also provide support and guidance for those experiencing life transitions, such as marriage, children, loss, divorce, and those new to the city who are having trouble adjusting. I think that it is important to recognize that, although we all have limitations, we also have strengths and resources. I have a flexible approach to therapy, and have been trained in a number of different modalities that allow me to cater to your specific needs.

There are times in all of our lives where we find ourselves at a crossroads. Do I continue on the path I am on, or is it time to pause, dig in, and face my fear, addiction, compulsion, hesitancy, anger, patterns, issues, struggles, etc.? This can be a very frightening crossroads, and having the courage to face ourselves, our past and what may be before us can be very fleeting. I meet people at this crossroads, and together we "dig in", and begin to explore what needs exploring, mend what needs mending, fight what needs fighting and forgive what needs forgiving. As they say in AA, I believe we are spiritual beings in physical world and as a Pastoral Counselor I am able and willing to explore how these two realities are integrated in our lives. Please feel free to give me a call with any of your questions or concerns.

My philosophy and approach to helping clients is to do a thorough assessment and develop a treatment plan that is characteristic of that client and guide clients through therapy to healing. Each client has a uniqueness about them and my work is finding it and helping that client realize it and live in it. Perception is the key to understanding. Awareness is the key to realization.

I am a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with three years of experience providing compassionate mental health care across the lifespan in Virginia. My background as both a nurse and a provider has shaped my calm, steady, and holistic approach to treatment. I help individuals navigate anxiety, depression, stress, and daily challenges by creating a supportive environment where clients feel heard, respected, and understood.

My work combines my personal knowledge and experiences of the special challenges and gifts that define the creative experience with insight work and mindfulness-based psychotherapy. I've worked with writers, musicians, dancers, painters, computer programmers, tattoo artists, and more, to help them work through creative issues, relationship problems, anxiety, and many other concerns. In my experience, people who have spent their lives developing their creativity have a unique skillset which is often overlooked as a place from which to draw strength and guidance in building relationships, coping with stress, and making life decisions. I tend to focus on strengths: you might be surprised at what you already know. You can read more about my work with creative people at my external site, linked at left.

I help adults heal from complex trauma, PTSD, dissociation, anxiety, and the lasting effects of childhood trauma and adversity. Many of my clients feel overwhelmed by emotional reactivity, relationship difficulties, chronic shame, or a sense of being disconnected from themselves and others. Although they often appear to be coping on the outside, they feel stuck in survival mode internally. My approach is collaborative, trauma-informed, and paced to your individual needs. I believe healing happens in the context of safety, understanding, and self-compassion, not through forcing change before you are ready. Drawing from EMDR, Somatic Experiencing®, parts work, DBT skills, and mindfulness-based approaches, I help clients regulate their nervous system, develop greater emotional stability, deepen self-understanding, and move beyond survival toward a more connected and meaningful life.

Our own minds can multiply, confuse, and perpetuate the inevitable pain in life, or heal us to greater joy, love, and creativity. I will work with you to master your imaginative creation and to steer toward the life you choose with effective strategies. Building on your strengths and the best parts of your life, we will work together to resolve your problems and fulfill your highest dreams. Tools: I have an exciting new tool in my tool box: Accelerated Resolution Therapy. It is so new that it is not among the modalities on this website but it's been around long enough for research to validate it as "evidence based." Most soldiers with PTSD have gotten good results and have completed therapy by the 3rd session. I am so thrilled with the helpfulness of A.R.T. that I have worked to become a trainer in this method. Find out more about it online. Please see my own website (above) for a link. MindBody Health: I am fascinated by how our minds relate to our bodies and vice versa. Two areas of research demonstrate how strong the connection is. 1. Adverse Childhood Events are correlated with major health problems later in life. And 2, excessive negative stress is often followed by illness. The first can be transformed using Accelerated Resolution therapy. You have resources now that can be brought to the child who experienced trauma. The second, stress, can be relieved, in many ways to protect and care for your body. Together, perhaps we will create self-hypnotic recordings to align the power of your mind with the health of your body. Some health problems, such as allergies to pets and airborne substances, seem to respond especially well to this approach. We are only beginning to know the extent to which our minds can affect our physical health. For me, there is enough evidence to direct the powers of my mind toward healing from any illness - in addition to taking advantage of the wisdom of my doctors.

I strongly believe in your inherent ability to grow and change-- to survive neglect, hardship, and trauma and become stronger and more resilient. I help people find their strengths and learn to accept and even love their vulnerabilities. I teach coping skills and I listen intently.

If you’re here, something likely feels off. Maybe you’re exhausted from holding things together, stuck in the same arguments, or feeling disconnected from yourself or the people you love. You might not know exactly what needs to change, but you know something does. I work with individuals and couples who want more than surface-level coping. My approach is honest, steady, and compassionate. Together, we slow things down enough to understand what’s really happening beneath the surface. We look at patterns that keep you stuck, how they formed, and how to respond differently moving forward. Therapy with me is collaborative and active. I’ll listen carefully, ask direct questions when needed, and offer tools that fit your goals and values. I draw from relational and trauma-informed approaches, always shaping the work to you, not forcing you into a formula. You don’t need to have it all figured out to begin. We’ll take this one step at a time, building clarity, trust, and a stronger sense of connection along the way.

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.