Your Couples Therapist

Anyone who has looked for a therapist before knows that it is nearly impossible to know whether or not the person you want to work with is going to be the right fit for your needs. This is why I encourage people to call around and get your potential therapist on the phone talking with you before you actually go into their office. I like to answer any questions that an individual, couple, or family has so that I can better assist. I'll ask questions such as: What happened in your life that made you reach out for a therapist now? What is causing you the most distress currently? How would you define the problem(s) that brings you in?

I did my undergraduate work in Psychology at Salisbury University, and my graduate training in Couple and Family Therapy at the University of Maryland, College Park. I am trained in all of the major models of couple and family therapy. I like to discuss with my patients which approach I feel will fit best with their treatment needs. It's a collaborative process, as any health endeavor with a health care professional should be!

Sometimes it can be hard to find out how much a therapist charges for their session fees. My fees are simple: $150 for a 50-min session $225 for a 90-min session $15 surcharge for weekend appointments (PREPARE/ENRICH extended sessions (90 min) are billed at the customary extended session rate. There is a one-time fee of $35 for the accompanying online assessment. Clients keep all hard copy materials.) Cash, checks, and most major credit cards accepted. For more details, please visit my website.

After graduating with a B.A. in Psychology I began working in an elementary school with children with special needs. After 5 years in that field I realized that I was limited in my role for helping families change. Often times, after summer break, children would come back to school having regressed behaviorally. I knew that in order to truly help families, I needed to be able to work with them in a more private, intimate, and deeper setting - Therapy was the perfect fit, and ever since becoming a therapist I know that I am in the right field now! I love my work.

I've worked with individuals, couples, and families. I've seen children, teens, adults, and folks in their retirement years. I've worked with people who are highly stressed, depressed, or anxious. I've treated people who've been victims of child abuse, sexual assault, or other traumas including working with veterans. I've worked with premarital couples preparing for their future together and couples who want to heal from infidelity. If you call me and I feel that I am not qualified to treat your specific mental health need, I will help refer you to someone who will be a better fit.

Don't work with any therapist who is not willing to give you the time of day to speak with you on the phone for 30-minutes to gather information about what you're calling for, and allow you to ask questions. Do your research; Believe me, your working relationship with your therapist is a big part of what leads to successful therapeutic outcomes, so you want to be sure you've gotten a sense of the professional's personality and style before scheduling your first appointment. Also, if you feel like you've made the wrong choice when you're in your first or second session, don't hesitate to bring this up with your therapist and ask for a referral.

What will therapy be like? Do I need counseling? How do I know which therapist is right for me? How much does therapy cost? How long does therapy last? Do you take my insurance? How have I attempted to solve my problem in the past before seeking out therapy? -- The following reviews are from people who I have worked with. I ask for feedback from those I help to better inform how I conduct therapy. I also want people searching for reviews of therapists or counselors in Bethesda, MD to see what people are saying about the services I provide. Below are several reviews that my clients gave me permission to share. To protect the confidentiality of my patients I have removed identifying information. -- "I think [therapy] is helpful to guide the discussion and keep us focused. For me, it's finding ways to address anger and learning to communicate better." ​-B.B. (Gaithersburg, MD) "I feel like I've learned better techniques for dealing with conflict and I don't practice avoidance as much as I had in the recent few years." - Anonymous (Hyattsville, MD) "The most beneficial aspect of therapy for me has been feeling less worried about the thoughts of others and how they view me." ​- Anonymous "Robin digs deep and keeps pursuing comments we make, until we are clear and specific on expressing our feelings and expressing what we hear our partner say." ​- L.P. (Washington, D.C.) "I am more aware of why I do what I do (and did) in my relationships. I am more empathic towards myself. I understand my relationship with my parents and how my childhood development impacted my adult life. In particular my relationship with my mom, which has dictated how I interact with my female partners." ​- Anonymous "[Robin] has helped me come to understand by offering insights and suggestions which I then use to think about myself." ​- Anonymous "[Robin provided us] tailored sessions to focus on what we were most interested in. I feel more comfortable explicitly talking about things that I was relying on sensing feelings for - e.g. satisfaction with relationship." ​- D.B. (Washington D.C.) "My life has changed so much since attending therapy. The insights into my past and how they've come to shape the way I see the world today along with how other [people] have completely different experiences" ​- Anonymous