My goal is to create a calm and healing therapeutic environment. In this atmosphere, you are allowed to explore areas of challenges and personal growth.

I believe in fostering an open, collaborative dialogue where you feel heard and understood. My communication style is warm, non-judgmental, and direct, focusing on creating a safe space for you to share your thoughts and feelings. I tailor my approach to your unique needs, drawing upon my diverse therapeutic toolkit to support you in your journey toward well-being.

I work collaboratively with my clients to help them learn new coping skills, create positive changes, and attain the goals they have for themselves. My clients view me as supportive, nonjudgmental, and practical. I work with professionals, including MDs and attorneys, as well as stay-at-home moms and students. I specialize in helping people manage anxiety and stress, perfectionism, self-esteem issues, codependency and relationship concerns, and depression. I also support clients who are navigating in vitro fertilization (IVF) and a challenging fertility journey. I help my clients create a more balanced, meaningful, and fun life for themselves. This can include managing negative self-talk, learning to be more assertive and set boundaries, and re-evaluating self-care.

I specialize in the treatment of sexual issues such as pornography and sexual addiction, and treatment for pre- and post-adjudicated individuals with sexual behavior challenges. I provide individual, family, and group therapy, comprehensive psychosexual risk assessment for individuals charged with sexual offenses at the pre- and post-conviction stages, and expert testimony. Prior to creating my own practice, I was the executive director and co-owner of Freeland and Hildembrand Clinical and Forensic Associates, a community-based, full-service forensic mental health clinic that worked exclusively with adults and juveniles with sexual behavior issues. I offer relapse prevention and psychoeducational-based treatment utilizing a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach. My relapse prevention training is designed to assist clients in understanding their offense or sexual addiction cycle, triggers, and the steps they need to take to avoid acting out sexually. Therapy with me will be highly interactive, with a strong psychoeducational component aimed at helping clients better understand and take control of their sexual compulsions.

Maybe you're a new parent wondering why this doesn't feel the way you expected. Maybe anxiety has been running the show for so long you've forgotten what calm feels like. Or maybe you're in the middle of a life transition — a move, a career shift, a relationship change — and you just need someone in your corner. I'm Shelby, and I get it. I specialize in working with women, couples, and individuals who are navigating the messy, overwhelming parts of life — especially the transition to parenthood, relationship struggles, and those seasons when everything feels uncertain. My approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in your strengths. I'm not here to fix you — you're not broken. I'm here to help you reconnect with yourself, build skills that actually work, and find your footing again. We'll use mindfulness, practical tools, and honest conversation to help you move from surviving to thriving. I offer telehealth sessions across DC, MD, VA, NY, and FL. If you're ready to feel like yourself again, I'd love to hear from you.

It is my highest responsibility to provide a safe environment that induces my client's trust and alliance. I am on my client's journey without being judgmental. Each client is unique and each client well-being is of the uttermost importance. My client's needs and desires are highly considered. The therapy I provide allows my clients to address their concerns, fears, and issues. I assist my clients in finding ways to better communicate and to resolve issues without engaging in conflict. My client's who seek relationship counseling engage in a process that requires their active participation so that they are able to utilize coping skills, techniques, and mechanisms they can use outside of counseling. My office enables my clients to experience an environment that is safe, tranquil and serene. Clients are able to learn more about themselves, their partners, and their families.

I work collaboratively with individuals, couples, families and groups towards real change. My approach pulls from a variety of techniques based on the need of the client. My primary modalities include Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to provide specific tools; Gottman method for couples; as well as other techniques based upon the need of the client.

Welcome to my practice! Therapy can be a powerful tool in relieving distress, learning about oneself, and living a more fulfilled life. I believe that at the heart of successful therapy is a collaborative, open, and warm relationship. Through curiosity and acceptance, I help my clients gain more appreciation for their emotions, assist them in recognizing their strengths, and aid them in identifying opportunities for growth. I strive to help my clients obtain the tools necessary to overcome roadblocks, which often keep them from reaching their full potential. I work with clients from diverse backgrounds and life stages and welcome the opportunity to treat individuals facing a wide range of concerns. Given my training and experience working with adolescents, college/graduate students, and young professionals, I have a deep understanding of the challenges these individuals face as they navigate life transitions. In particular, I specialize in helping individuals with self-esteem concerns, relationship difficulties, depression, anxiety, trauma/loss, and disordered eating. Taking the step to begin therapy can be difficult. With the right therapist, however, therapy can be an important and rewarding tool to living a more satisfying, authentic, and fulfilled life. I invite you to contact me to see if I may be a good fit for you. My office is metro-accessible, conveniently located in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C. I have daytime and evening hours available.

My approach to therapy is largely cognitivebehavioral, with a strong emphasis on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) techniques, specifically learning to be mindful- noticing and accept your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations- while committing to behavior that is consistent with your own values. My experiences both in and out of the work setting are fairly broad so I feel I can address most issues clients present with. My style is engaging and supportive. I view our relationship as a partnership. I will spend the majority of our first sessions together listening to get to know you better. I believe that everything in our lives is interrelated, so at times I may let our focus move to whatever is particularly troubling to you that day. At other times, I may focus you back on the current problem we are trying to solve. I am married with two children and have had two career changes. I have experienced a wide variety of life stressors and have sought help when needed. I believe that these experiences have provided me with empathy, perspective and coping skills that I can use to help you.

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.

Taking the step to find the right therapist is a powerful act of self-care. Whether you’re dealing with everyday stress, adjusting to life changes, or working through anxiety, depression, trauma, or relationship challenges, you don’t have to face it alone. At Dynamic Health Partners, we believe mental health care should reflect the uniqueness of each individual. Serving adults across the District of Columbia metropolitan area and Arizona, our diverse team of highly trained clinicians provides compassionate, culturally responsive care tailored to your needs and experiences. We offer individual therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, and specialized treatment for more complex mental health conditions, such as mood-related challenges and posttraumatic stress (PTSD). With flexible in-person and virtual options, we aim to make high-quality care both accessible and convenient, wherever you are in your journey. Your story matters. Your healing matters. And you’re not alone. Let’s take the next step together.

I help individuals with issues such as depression, anxiety, relationships challenges, childhood trauma, stress, and families navigating behavioral issues. I teach my clients communication skills that improve their relationships. Those skills boost my clients' power and voice, as well as their intimacy with their significant others. I rely on a number of approaches, including Gestalt, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, somatic experiencing, and experiential dynamic psychotherapy. I help clients dealing with traumatic stress reduce panic, pain, numbness and hyper-arousal in response to life and relationships difficulties. I combine calming and relationship skills to help children, adolescents, and young adults reduce family discord and ADHD, and increase self-efficacy. I help my clients navigate their behaviors, emotions, cognition, and physiology. I help couples and individuals explore the ways that small changes in attitudes and stances can nurture new ways of feeling, thinking, and being in the world. I help my clients find new solutions so they can connect with a sense of joy and competence.