I have been supporting parents in every job or role I’ve had in adulthood whether I knew it at the time or not. My clinical work began working with teenagers in the inpatient setting. I noticed that there would be times where patients would become stable while in the hospital and then we would discharge them, only for them to return a short time later. I realized we needed to be working with the family as a whole. Then I began working with younger children, thinking if I intercepted my clients at a younger age, I could potentially prevent the struggles I saw on the inpatient unit. I slowly worked my way down in age, working in the infant and early childhood realm in mental health care. One day, I had a lightbulb moment. I noticed a trend in all of these settings: the most important and impactful work is done with parents. Most mental health difficulties in children (and even many adults!) can be traced back to early childhood. Those experiences either tend to help or hinder our roles as parents.

My philosophy is that every client that walks through my office door already possesses the answers to their problems. They just don’t know they do. I believe that counseling is a healing collaboration between counselor and client, where the client as the expert, and the counselor alongside the client, together evoke the emotional, psychological, and physical changes identified and desired by the client.
I earned both my undergraduate degree in psychology(2008) as well as my master’s in professional counseling(2011) from Georgia State University. I began my career working mainly with survivors of trauma. I believe that trauma is a part of life and began noticing a strong correlation between trauma, anxiety, and emotional eating and weight gain.
I work with weightloss in a unique way, by helping you get to the root of the issue. Whether its a childhood trauma or an unhealthy coping skill, together in collaboration with your body lets find the answer.

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!

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.

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 am a Clinical Psychologist and trauma specialist with expertise in intimate betrayal and infidelity. I help women heal from the devastating aftermath of sexual betrayal, infidelity, and other forms of intimate partner betrayal. I am a Certified Sex Therapist (CST), Certified Clinical Partners Specialist (CCPS), and Certified Sexual and Relational Trauma Therapist (CSRTT).

My clients are often facing the painful aftermath of infidelity and trying to pick up the pieces of their life. You may feel overwhelmed with emotions, struggle with obsessive thoughts, have physical symptoms of stress, and may feel completely alone and unsure what to do next. I can help you alleviate your trauma symptoms, manage triggers, learn strategies to work through the pain, silence the inner voice telling you that you're not good enough and achieve a state of calmness again.

I use trauma-informed empirically based techniques for effective and lasting change. I also incorporate mindfulness strategies for mind-body re-connection to heal the physical symptoms of trauma.

I am incredibly passionate about my work and believe that each person is worthy and deserving of healing. I believe a collaborative approach to therapy works best. I would love to hear your story and help you reach your therapeutic goals.

Barbara Carlin is founder of Horizon Counseling & Consulting, LLC. Located in Atlanta. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and Nation Board Certified Counselor, she takes great satisfaction working with individuals, groups and conducting workshops. She often is invited to speak on a multitude of topics related to mental health and personal well-being.

Caroline received her BA in psychology from Cornell University and her MA with academic distinction in clinical mental health counseling from Northwestern University. She is currently a registered mental health counseling intern with the state of Florida, working under the supervision of Sarah Watt, LMHC. Prior to pursuing the counseling field, she spent ten years in the northeast building experience in the culinary, nonprofit, and business worlds. This gave her invaluable perspective that she could not have gotten had she entered the counseling field right away. At the end of 2019, she felt called back to the area of mental health and to her hometown of Ocala, FL where she lives with her daughter. She has experienced the positive impact of quality counseling in her own life, and strives to provide this for each of her clients. She is passionate about the power of the therapeutic relationship and the growth that can occur when we nurture our minds.

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!