Licensed to practice in Maryland and accepts 11 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and PTSD and 10 more.
(he/him)
New to Grow
I'm Matthew, a therapist who believes you don't have to have everything figured out before coming to therapy. I bring warmth, curiosity, humor when appropriate, and a willingness to have the conversations that aren't always easy. My job isn't to tell you who to become. I want to help you understand yourself, work through what's getting in the way, and make changes that actually matter in your life.
The first session is really about getting to know each other. I'll ask questions about what brought you to therapy, what's been happening in your life, what's working, what's not, and what you'd like to be different. You don't need to show up with the perfect explanation. I also want you to get a sense of me. Therapy works better when you can actually talk to your therapist, so you're welcome to ask questions, tell me when something doesn't make sense, or say, "I don't know." By the end, we'll start putting some language around what you're experiencing and what we might work on together. I don't expect us to solve your life in one appointment. I do want you to leave with a clearer sense of where we're going and whether I feel like the right therapist for you.
I'm not a therapist who will sit silently, nod for an hour, and send you on your way. I'll listen closely, ask questions, notice patterns, and sometimes challenge you when I think there's something worth looking at differently. I'll also tell you when I see growth that you may be overlooking. My approach is practical but human. I use CBT, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed approaches, and EMDR when appropriate, but I don't believe therapy should feel like I'm reading from a textbook. We'll talk about what's actually happening in your life and find tools that make sense for you. I also understand that people are more complicated than a diagnosis on a chart. You bring a whole life into the room: relationships, losses, mistakes, strengths, identity, responsibilities, hopes, and probably a few things you're still trying to understand yourself. I want there to be room for all of that.
I work best with people who know something needs to change, even if they aren't sure what that change looks like yet. You may be dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, grief, or a major life transition. Maybe you're tired of carrying everything alone. I want therapy to be a place where we can figure out what's happening, why, and what you want to do next.
I use CBT to help you notice the connection between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. We’ll look at patterns that may be keeping you stuck and figure out what can realistically change. I’m less interested in simply telling you to “think positively” and more interested in helping you develop a different way of responding when old patterns show up.
I’m trained in EMDR, a therapy that can help people work through painful or distressing experiences that continue to affect them in the present. We won’t jump straight into the hardest memory. I’ll first help you understand the process, build ways to manage difficult emotions, and decide together what you’re ready to work on.
Therapy doesn't have to be entirely about what's wrong. I also pay attention to what you've survived, what you're already doing well, and the strengths you may have stopped noticing in yourself. We can use those strengths while also being honest about the parts of life that aren't working.
Sometimes you don't need to spend months understanding every detail of how a problem developed before making a change. When appropriate, I'll help you identify what's already working, what you want to be different, and small, realistic steps that can move you in that direction.