You want to keep moving on with your life, but something is in the way. You may feel stuck, unmotivated, depressed, anxious, scared, and so much more. Life can be so challenging, and it isn't fair that you don't get instructions. At GROW, we understand that life can throw some unexpected curveballs that you were never prepared to handle. We want to help equip you with the tools to manage the challenges and wounds life can bring to move towards healing.

Courtney Salter loves helping people move forward. She is passionate about the potential that you have in your life, and works diligently to become a safe place to find and develop the tools within yourself and heal past wounds. Courtney earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Nationally Certified Counselor, and has extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Courtney has worked in a psychiatric hospital with a range of disorders in the inpatient and outpatient units. Her experience extends to working with adults, teens, women, trauma, anxiety, addiction, depression, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, boundaries, communication, career, codependency, and relationships.

You are not broken in need of fixing; you may be healing and in need of care. Caring for yourself and your emotional/mental health is often a difficult thing to do. Yet unattended, the wounds and destructive coping mechanisms tear away the chance of healthy relationships, life-giving work, daily functioning, and effective parenting.

As your therapist, Courtney is determined to help you find your place in the healing process. You may wonder if you need counseling or if it will make a difference. Here at GROW, we have seen things get better. We are passionate about the potential that you have in your life. Life happens, but together we can find the next steps forward.

Sarah considers her work in therapy to be a privilege with every client. She understands taking brave steps towards life-healing change is sacred work that should be met with detailed, compassionate care. Sarah strives to provide a safe environment for clients to build on their existing skills and address any areas of concerns they may have while moving towards transformation and freedom.

Sarah has served clients in a broad span of clinical and therapeutic settings. Her experience ranges from serving the mental health needs of the homeless population of Atlanta, to psychiatric hospital experience, therapeutic residential treatment for teens, and private practice. Sarah integrates a variety of therapeutic techniques to help clients identify and heal the deep heart wounds that can influence our core beliefs and impact our actions. The integration of faith in counseling is available upon request.

Julia Bauer, LCSW, whole heartily believes therapy should be collaborative and unique to each individual. She offers a warm, empathetic and non-judgmental approach and creates a safe space for clients to heal and feel heard.

Julia provides therapy to individuals, couples, and families, She enjoys working with adults of all ages, and is specifically interested in helping with the LGBTQIA population, anxiety, depression, trauma, women’s issues, infertility, relationship issues, life transitions, and grief. Julia also has a lot of experience with prenatal and postpartum mental health disorders. She is a certified holistic doula and has a special interest in assisting new parents through their transition into parenthood.

In therapy, Julia utilizes a multitude of therapeutic techniques to help clients cope through life’s many challenges and tribulations. She takes a holistic, mind-body-spirit approach to support and assist clients in living a more authentic, whole-hearted life.

Julia earned an MSW from Aurora University. Her experience includes counseling in a variety of settings including residential, inpatient and outpatient hospitals.

I believe that we all have the capacity to grow towards becoming better versions of ourselves. I work systemically and collaboratively with individuals, couples, and families to help them achieve their desired goals for treatment. I place great emphasis on developing a strong therapeutic relationship with my clients, while also valuing the inherent ability that each person has to work towards individual growth and change. I utilize a variety of interventions in working with clients, viewing treatment through the lens of experiential and structural therapy.

For Adolescents in distress…
The teen and preteen years can be exciting, but also extremely challenging, especially when your child appears to be struggling. Challenging teen behaviors or poor academic performance can be frustrating for the parent, but also may signal that your child is not at their best. I enjoy working with adolescents to help them better understand and manage their struggles, while also helping to build the bridge of communication with the family, fostering a stronger parent-child relationship.

For Families in distress…
Family can be a source of strength, joy, and companionship, but can also feel tense, uncomfortable, and broken when not functioning at its best. It is extremely common to feel "stuck" in the same patterns of behavior. Families often are great solvers of their own problems, but when it feels like you’ve tried everything, often therapy can help family members learn to relate in new and more rewarding ways.

For Couples in distress…
Ever feel like you have the same arguments with your partner over and over again? Do you worry that you’ve tried everything and feel like you keep getting the same outcome? While these feelings of being "stuck" can be highly stressful, there is hope. Therapy can help couples identify new, positive interaction patterns towards a more fulfilling relationship.

If you are struggling to cope with stress and anxiety from past or ongoing difficulties (such as school/work stress, friendship/relationship problems, bullying, or family dynamics), I can help you process and problem-solve your experiences and offer a path forward. This includes learning coping skills and interpersonal effectiveness, as well as examining thought and behavior patterns. I enjoy working collaboratively with my clients to help them be the best version of themselves by helping them to identify their goals and to leverage their strengths to meet those goals.

Are you or your child struggling in school and you don't know why or how to help? A psychoeducational evaluation can determine if an individual meets criteria for a learning disability or ADHD, as well as highlight strengths and weaknesses and guide academic and treatment recommendations (including accommodations on standardized tests, if appropriate).

I am currently conducting all therapy via telehealth and am accepting new clients ages 12+ in DC, MD, VA, NJ, PA, & more. Psychoeducational evaluations are conducted in DC only (ages 6+). Please feel free to email me so we can set up a brief phone consultation to see if I can help. If I can't, I'll try to point you in the right direction.

Children and young adults have such unique issues to navigate in today’s world. As a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor, I want to create a space for children and young adults to process where they are no matter what that looks like. As a therapist, I specialize in working with clients that struggle with anxiety, depression, life changes and adjustment to different phases and stages of life. Young people are constantly growing and changing. I work with clients to process their growing pains through self-expression.

As a former school counselor, I have a heart for helping young people overcome challenges and realize their strengths. Expressive arts and creativity are often at the core of our sessions. Whether that is writing, drawing, or other forms of art, we can use those skills to help you process and externalize even the most challenging emotions. My biggest goal is for you to be able to utilize your passions in the healing process. Ultimately, therapy is a brave space where I guide you in taking ownership of your story and experiences. It would be an honor to start that journey with you!

When I am not with clients, I spend my time supporting my alma mater, the University of Georgia! Go dawgs!!

In 1997, I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University where I was trained in the use of Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioral therapies with adults and adolescents. My post graduate training includes EMDR and Internal Family Systems therapies. I draw on all of these approaches in my work to help people create happier, more fulfilling lives for themselves and their families.

My therapeutic focus includes transitions in adolescence and adulthood, trauma, navigating divorce and post-divorce relationships, and the anxiety and distress that accompany these experiences. I also help mothers and fathers navigate the difficult job of raising children, from infancy through young adulthood, in all types of family configurations. Together, with compassion, we can understand the origins of your distress, what keeps it present in your life, and what changes need to be made to let it go.

In addition to relying on traditional talk therapies, we can draw upon my non-traditional training. I offer EMDR therapy, a highly effective treatment for trauma that can also be helpful when you feel stuck after trying talk therapy to manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. And we can choose to use mindfulness techniques drawing upon my decades of practicing and teaching yoga and meditation.

If you are seeking help with any stage of divorce, my training as a divorce mediator may also be helpful in understanding and navigating the process you are going through.

Melissa Murphy, LCSW-C, LICSW, LCSW, C-DBT, is a seasoned therapist and clinical director at Bethesda Therapy, licensed in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia. Specializing in anxiety, depression, trauma, and OCD, she employs ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) and Inference-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT), recognized as leading treatments for OCD. Melissa's expertise extends to managing mood disorders, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pain disorders. Her approach is collaborative and strengths-based, focusing on developing personalized strategies for each client.

As a Gottman-trained couples therapist, Melissa is adept at addressing the complexities of relationships affected by ADHD and OCD. She also treats Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) and finds profound fulfillment in supporting therapists and those in helping professions. Her work is underpinned by advanced training in both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Brenley received her Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree from Mercer School of Medicine. She obtained her B.A. in Law and Public Policy from Mercer University. While she obtained her graduate degree she gained valuable clinical experience working with patients in a hospital setting. She also obtained clinical experience working with individuals, couples, and families with a wide range of concerns at the Mercer Family Therapy Center.

Her experience and passion includes working with children and adolescents. Specifically, Brenley has worked extensively with children, teens and families experiencing conflict, trauma, suicidal thoughts and developing healthy coping skills.

2. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in helping clients overcome the loss of self, anxiety, and depression in a matter of months rather than years so that they can experience the present, increase acceptance and live with more purpose. My experience spans approximately fifteen years in the mental health field, I have a bachelor’s Degree from Portland State University (1999) and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Arizona State University in 2005. I have worked in a variety of treatment settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, level-one trauma centers, community crisis response, private practice, and in-home counseling. Having worked as a Clinical Social worker for 10+ years my training is rooted in systems theory which has taught me to evaluate the whole person, and to look at their individual needs, influences, and strengths which helps deliver personalized treatment for all of my clients. I have further training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and mindfulness techniques which have helped me specialize in anxiety and life transitions. Today I offers individual counseling for adults struggling with loss of identity, anxiety, agoraphobia, new medical/psychiatric diagnosis, depression, grief, co-occurring issues, stress management, and/or anyone who hopes to improve their ability to be present.