I believe in open and honest communication with my clients. Full transparency with professional boundaries is essential in encouraging change.

Hello, I am Twaina M. Carpenter. I am a retired veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. I have enjoyed working with people in Customer Service areas since starting work at the tender age of 15 years old. My approach to counseling is to actively listen in order to connect with each person on a personal level to get to know them and create a safe space for them to share their dis-ease. Then we, as a team, work on healing those wounds created from past experiences. I approach psychotherapy from a person-centered, supportive role, where I utilize great active listening skills first. From there, I mentor, guide, and help my consumer by assisting in being a change agent, helping to change thoughts and perceptions that create those judgments in life, whether judging others, situations, or self. The top modalities that I use are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR). I believe the care that I provide my consumer comes across as being very genuine; therefore, my consumer feels safe in sharing things they may have kept bottled up inside and never shared with anyone, even those that are closest to them. Yet, the comfort and the safe place I provide my consumer makes for a place and space for them to open up and start working on letting things go (once and for all) and finally feeling it is okay to move forward. My communication style during therapy is straightforward, honest, open, empathic, and sympathetic (when needed); I have great compassion for those seeking my assistance. I like using real-life examples. Active listening is a gift that I utilize well when sitting with my consumer. I am open in saying I am not here to give you ADVICE, and I am here to lead and guide you to making the best choice for yourself. I am here to help you have more grace and compassion for yourself. I am here to help you, the consumer, move forward. The use of active listening and asking those probing questions, in turn, assist the consumer in thinking and pondering on the reality of any situation and how to process it and move forward. My journey to becoming a therapist started while I was serving in the United States Air Force, where I filled in on occasions as an interim First Sergeant working for different Commanders at different locations. This position allowed me the opportunity to care for the active duty and their family members of all ranks, cultural differences, and races, allowing me to care for others outside of my immediate family members to assist with their military concerns and general life concerns. I enjoyed seeing others have a sense of breakthrough in their lives, which caused me to seek out what my next career would be after retirement from the military. I decided to take on the challenge of helping others full-time to learn more about themselves (things they have been taught in life (good and bad), their life experiences) and how these experiences have shaped them to be the person they are, yet learn how they can change to be the person they desire to be. I work with and alongside the consumer to establish their goals. I inquire with the consumer as to what they are seeking to gain from their counseling experience and what their specific goals are. I will provide my recommendations on goals and how we can incorporate both sets of goals and what that looks like by way of success for the consumer. Successful care and progress are evident when the dis-ease of the consumer has declined significantly, and they are able to manage their response to the disease better (whether it be a person, a situation, a life event, etc.). Also, successful care and progress are evident when the consumer can say they have reached a minimum of 85% (on the 0-100% scale, with 100% being the highest and best); however, 100% being the ultimate goal, of feeling and doing better for themself. First sessions, we (the consumer and myself) spend time discussing the presenting problem(s), history of medical concerns, family information, past experiences, and how they tie into the present-day dis-ease. We spend time establishing what the consumer is seeking in their counseling experience. Also, we will discuss how I, as their counselor, can help them to do and be better. I also like to share a little bit of myself and how I help to create a safe environment for them in order to let go and move forward.

It's time now to genuinely feel and function better. In order to do that, it's essential to pay close attention to your internal responses to the difficulties and patterns that have been cropping up in your closest relationships, your work, and with respect to your own self-concept, and to do so with someone who can help you see things differently and perhaps more accurately. Together, we will create an open, accepting, safe space, where you also will feel helpfully and persistently challenged to know yourself much better from the inside out, and as quickly as possible.

Compassionate and dedicated Psychiatric and Family Nurse Practitioner with experience providing comprehensive primary care across the lifespan. I’m skilled in conducting health assessments, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, prescribing medications, and developing individualized treatment plans. I’m committed to delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care, with an emphasis on disease prevention, health promotion, and patient education. I also have experience collaborating with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to improve patient outcomes and support high-quality, efficient care. I bring strong communication, clinical decision-making, and relationship-building skills, with a focus on compassionate, culturally competent care.

I believe a strong, trusting relationship with your therapist is the foundation for meaningful growth and change. In our work together, I meet you where you are, with empathy, compassion, and without judgment. My holistic approach focuses on your mind, body, and spirit, and I integrate both traditional and alternative therapies to support your overall well-being.

WE CAN HELP HEAL YOUR RELATIONSHIP. "Why does my partner overreact?" "Why do I get so triggered?" "How come the punishment doesn't fit the crime?" “Why can’t he be more supportive?” “Is anything I do ever enough for her?” While you are feeling hurt, you have an added layer of confusion. You simultaneously love your partner and even hope to stay in this relationship to keep your love, family, and dreams intact. You are torn in a tug-of-war of emotions and desire to feel understood, accepted, and embraced by your partner. HEAL YOUR RELATIONSHIP AT ITS ROOT! Your dynamic is being driven by vulnerable and deep emotions. Those deep emotions are sensitive ‘raw spots' that are easily provoked and can cause you intolerable emotional discomfort- and leads to a “fight-or-flight” (anxious, angry, avoidant) response. This starts a negative cycle that creates more distance between you. CHANGE IS POSSIBLE! In therapy with us, you will learn strategies to respond differently and avoid slipping into old negative cycles of criticism, questioning, defensiveness, shutting down, and avoidance. We’ve helped HUNDREDS of people experience EMOTIONAL INTIMACY by learning how to effectively share and receive each other’s deeper emotions.

I believe therapy works best when it feels like a safe and genuine conversation. My role is to listen closely, help you feel understood, and work with you to uncover patterns that may be holding you back. I draw on both psychotherapy and psychiatry, so we can address the whole picture—your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and, when helpful, medication support. I value collaboration and tailor treatment to each person’s unique story and goals. My hope is that our work together not only eases current struggles but also helps you grow in ways that feel meaningful and lasting.

Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) offers specialized adoption-competent in-person and teletherapy. Whether receiving individual andor family therapy, our therapists will include the family dynamic as a whole during the treatment plan. C.A.S.E. therapists are trained under the nationally accredited Training for Adoption Competency (TAC) program and have the specialized skills, insight, and experience needed to address issues and use various treatment types depending on the needs of the child, teen or family receiving care.

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.

I began working in this field almost 30 years ago because I wanted to make a tangible difference in people's lives. Over the years, I have worked with countless individuals, couples, families, and groups to help them improve their quality of life. Through my experience, I have learned that: Although many may appear to be similar demographically in terms of age, race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, etc., everyone brings hisher own individual histories to therapy -- histories that distinguish each client as a unique individual. As a result, I welcome all clients, and I recognize that each client will bring hisher own history and values to therapy. I commit to working within each individual's system of values as I try to help the individual draw from hisher history to improve hisher quality of life. My two primary metrics are: a) tangible improvements in an individual's life, and b) the individual's feelings and understanding regarding change and the process of change. Like physical therapists and coaches who are willing to challenge their athletes to perform at full potential, I am willing to challenge my clients to reach their full potential in life. But my guiding philosophy is: "challenge by choice" -- I will only as far and as fast as my clients are comfortable.

Do you get extra nervous around other people—especially new people or people that you do not know very well? Do you find yourself overthinking everything you say because you are worried about saying the "wrong thing"? Or after a conversation, you replay the entire conversation in your mind and get stuck on worrying that you embarrassed yourself? Perhaps there is a social activity that you would like to do, but you avoid it due to how anxious it makes you feel? Everyone can have experiences like these sometimes, but if you find that anxiety about interacting with other people is interfering with your life, then social anxiety may be the cause. If so, then I can help: I specialize in working with people who are struggling with social anxiety. First, we'll do a thorough assessment just to make sure that social anxiety is the best explanation for what you are experiencing. If it is, you will learn to identify and challenge the thoughts and beliefs that are feeding into your anxiety, reduce the power of your thoughts and feelings, gradually confront the very situations that are making you feel so anxious, and move toward your values. By doing this, you can start to feel better. While that does not always mean that your anxiety will completely go away, it means that the anxiety will likely be much more manageable—you will be able to do more of what is important to you and actually enjoy it. To help determine whether working together would be a good fit, the next step is to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation—no pressure, just a conversation. You can schedule online by going to my website, send me a message (best way to reach me), or give me a call. I will get back to you very quickly, usually within 24 hours!

Feeling overwhelmed by life? Stress feels unmanageable, relationships are strained, and moving forward seems impossible. The constant weight of overwhelm can leave you physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. You long to make peace with a painful past but feel stuck. Unmanaged stress affects every aspect of your life—work, health, and relationships. You recognize the need for change, and starting therapy is a courageous, proactive step toward well-being. I'm here to provide a compassionate, validating space where your thoughts and feelings are heard. Together, we'll work toward healing and a more balanced, fulfilling life. I help individuals and couples navigate emotional regulation, stress, and relationship challenges through evidence-based methods like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and somatic therapy. Specializing in mood conditions, trauma, and attachment, I focus on fostering resilience and balance. Using biofeedback, I strengthen the mind-body connection to support lasting healing. Life’s challenges can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face them alone. Whether you’re seeking emotional balance, healing from past wounds, or strengthening your relationships, I’m here to support you. Together, we’ll create a compassionate, non-judgmental space to explore your goals and build the life you deserve. Reach out—I’m ready to help.