I work with children, adolescents, and young adults. My therapeutic style is very person-centered. I want sessions to be beneficial for you and will cater towards your needs. I have completed training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI). I also incorporate art therapy, sand tray therapy, and play therapy into sessions. Just like every human, every therapy session is unique!

Do you feel a persistent sense of unease? Exhausted from the pressures of life? Frustrated with how your past is impacting you? Overwhelmed by the thought of starting therapy? Often our struggles alone feel unbearable, and the idea of addressing them only adds more stress. But you can get to where you'd like to be. It just takes learning to endure the discomfort of the growth and healing process. I am dedicated to helping you walk through the discomfort —to gain self insight, to make changes in your life, to feel more at ease, and attain your goals.

I am in network with Regence and Premera.

Are you stressed? Are you finding it hard to navigate what life is bringing you? Are your relationships suffering? If you responded “yes” to any of these questions, I would love to help you! Stress, anxiety, depression, and a host of other troubles can be a challenging yet normal part of life. Handling these issues on your own can make them seem impossible. You do not have to go it alone when counseling is available. I offer culturally competent counseling in a safe environment. I use multiple therapeutic modalities and intervention strategies to help you attain wellness in the face of negative societal stressors. My work is also informed by my Ph.D. in Communication Studies and over two decades as a professor/scholar. Life can be a challenge! I want to help you gain more balance and harmony. You are too valuable to suffer in silence. Call or email to request a FREE Phone Consultation today! Together, let’s work to create the joyous life you deserve.

Are you struggling to find balance and create momentum in your daily life? I am offering virtual healthcare when you need it most. Through video calls we can meet, identify what change you want to occur and create a plan that propels you to a brighter future.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), I have over 15 years of experience in the behavioral health field. Using a variety of behaviorally-focused approaches I work with my clients to help them achieve their individual goals.

I utilize a behavior analytic approach to assist my clients. This includes creating SMART goals, taking baseline data, implementing interventions, and tracking progress throughout the duration of therapy. Give me a call and let's get started!

Hi, thanks for reading my Bio! I've been a psychologist now for 30 years. Over that time, I've helped more than 10,000 people. This is my 3rd career - I started as a Domino's Pizza manager, then a computer programmer for IBM. I became a psychologist after seeing my own psychologist during a difficult divorce. I learned so much from that experience that I knew it was right for me - so I went back to school. I've also completed 90% of a post doctoral certificate in neuropsychology.

I find that most people I work with are interested in one of two kinds of therapy. First, some people are interested in problem solving / solution focused therapy - finding solutions to life's many problems. I use brain science and the design of human beings to develop creative shortcuts to these problems. I've created my own names for them, such as the 'what else' technique, or reverse psychologizing yourself, or the 3 P's of grieving, or the 'outside the box' technique.

Other people want to understand themselves at a deep level. Perhaps they find themselves making the same mistakes in life. Or they wonder 'how did I get here?' The want to understand their personality structure and to make deep, long lasting changes - to become, not necessarily happier, but more successful and satisfied with life. During this process, I describe what I consider to be 'the ultimate in mental health.'

And now you know ... The rest of the story!

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).

I practice counseling from the humanistic perspective that every person is inclined to change and growth to make the best of surviving in life. I utilize person-centered counseling to promote empowerment, autonomy, and authenticity to promote self-acceptance and compassion. In the beginning of counseling, I focus on the therapeutic relationship to foster trust and make sure that you feel comfortable in the therapeutic space. Once an alliance is formed, I often utilize specific modalities that cater to your individual needs and experiences. I like to show up as myself to counseling with hopes that you will too.
In my practice of person-centered counseling, I aim to reintroduce you to your authentic self. As you become more connected to yourself, you become more connected to your inner sources of wisdom, validation, compassion, self-respect, and acceptance.
At Restore Counseling & Therapy, we place you at the center of your counseling experience. We encourage you to define the changes that you would like to see and experience. We just help you get there with the professional knowledge and tools we have acquired for you.

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.

Deb came from a broken home as a child and was in a blended family in her teen years. She practiced as a licensed occupational therapist for 35 years, working with children in hospital, school and private practice settings. She returned to school for her master's in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Spirituality and Counseling. She and her husband, Craig, have been married for 42 years, and raised three children. They are expecting their first grandchild in June, 2022. Deb is a mixed media artist, and a lover of nature, gardening, travel and her cockapoo puppy, Henry Biscuit.

As a therapist, Michelle is committed to supporting her clients as they identify the changes they would like to make. With your personal goals in mind, she will work with you to discover the best positive solutions to the challenges you are facing. Michelle believes that counseling is not just about talking out problems and crisis issues, but about building self-confidence, resilience, and meaning.