Ama Kwadu, LGPC

As an EMDR trained therapist, I work with adults who are living through the psychological and mental health impact of women's experiences including maternal health; family-of-origin and relationhsip challenges; psychological impact of socioeconomic/class issues related to privilege and discrimination; issues related to sexual orientation, gender and or racial/ethnic and cultural identity. My clients are also individuals who are  looking to gain isight, manage, decrease or eliminate the impact of feelings of pressure or inadequacy; grief related to loss, abandonment or neglect; family separation;  identity and roles; adjustment to school environments; mood changes; avoidance and isolation patterns; self esteem and assertiveness and more. Skills like cognitive reappraisal, which involves reframing a situation in order to change its emotional impact; attention control and resilience building: adaptive coping: and emotion regulation, are some of the benefits my clients walk away from our therapeutic relationship with. Regarding specific clinical diagnoses I am skilled in assessing, diagnosing and treating anxiety, postpartum depression, bipolar disorder, substance use, borderline, schizoaffective, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and more. I am able to include clients' Christian, faith-based and spiritual perspectives. 

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Clients come to me looking for culturally sensitive and an individualized therapy approach. The process begins with exploring each client's unique challenges, strengths, motivations, values and discomforts  through structured assessments and creating a client focused treatment goal where clients lead me in creating a map for what they want to get out of therapy–even if it’s just space to talk.  From here, we will work collaboratively to try to accept, resolve, manage or decrease the frequency, intensity or severity of developmental, relational, behavioral, cognitive, emotional and situational difficulties. A goal of my therapeutic process is to help people understand why they are the way they are, increase compassion for themselves, make conscious and intentional decisions, and make better behavioral choices by understanding the way they think. 

 

Over the course of our collaborative relationship, they may develop a sense of autonomy; gain insight into their strengths; increase confidence for coping with high-stress situations; develop structured, procedural permanent behavioral change and develop boundary setting behaviors for themselves and others; and reduce adverse reactions and impulsivity. My clients begin work with me looking to navigate view of "self"; work and academic stress; anxiety; depression; work-life balance; avoidant behaviors including procrastination and self sabotage; life transitions; cultural dynamics; family of origin dynamics and other relationship/attachment issues; and racial and generational trauma. 

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While my approach is naturally solution focused, multicultural and client-centered, I utilize frameworks like Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitizatiom and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which emphasizes education, skills-building and self-improvement. My experience in delivering trauma-informed care and grief counseling is essential to my client’s healing and well-being. 

 

I received my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Howard University and my Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling (Clinical Mental Health Counseling) from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and have since provided mental health services to children and adults in outpatient and private practice settings in Maryland. As a passionate and experienced Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor, I provide a safe and thoughtful environment for collaboration, understanding, and resolution under the supervision of an independently licensed clinical supervisor.

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