Thinking of seeing someone for one-on-one care?
Wondering if therapy could happen from the comfort of your own home, or be able to work with your unpredictable schedule?
I am a licensed clinical psychologist in Maryland and Virginia (more states coming soon!), and maintain an online psychotherapy practice working with many clients who weren’t sure at first that the commitment of traditional psychotherapy was possible for them.
Life can feel complicated. Finding a therapist doesn’t have to.
The prospect of seeking therapy can be intimidating for anyone, and I take this to heart. My goal is to create a space that feels safe and protected for you, so as to provide you a forum where you have the room to experience and express your emotions. In doing so, we can work together to gain understanding into how these feelings, along with your thoughts and behaviors, serve to influence your life in both positive and negative ways. In psychotherapy sessions, I utilize a collaborative approach full of warmth, gentle but firm guidance, sound and current science, and (yes! It's allowed!) even humor.
I specialize in anxiety, life transitions, stress, and relationships, and have more than two decades of experience as a psychotherapist. I utilize primarily a combination of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and the latest research on mindfulness techniques and interpersonal dynamics.
This means I've worked with many individuals who are experiencing problems with career and school shifts, breakups, grief and loss, and movement into new romantic relationships, living situations, partnerships, marriages and parenthood.
Often, relationship and transition troubles can be entangled with depression, eating issues, alcohol problems, and social and performance anxiety, all of which I have experience treating as well.
I firmly believe that an individual is far more than a set of symptoms or a diagnosis: I focus on treating the whole person.
You can read more about my professional credentials here. Having long served on the faculty of Georgetown University, I was recently awarded a national teaching honor by the American Psychological Association. My most recent book, Detox Your Thoughts, was heartily endorsed by the founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dr. Stephen C. Hayes. In short, I take the science of psychology seriously.
Having written three books on relationships and psychology and having served for years as a Washington Post mental health columnist and CNN commentator, I'm a frequent consultant about psychological issues in the media and very much keep current with cultural events. I don't view any life as existing in a vacuum. In treatment, I take into account these social and cultural considerations—as well as biological and medical ones like nutrition, sleep, and body movement—in working together with you toward utilizing your potential and feeling empowered.
Our first session will serve as an opportunity to assess whether seeing me for therapy would be a good match for you. I'll gather a lot of information from you about what you're hoping to work on; we'll formulate plans and see if it seems that working together would be a good fit. And we'll discuss and clarify any questions you have about confidentiality, the treatment process, and payment.
“I don’t view any life as existing in a vacuum. In treatment, I take into account these social and cultural considerations—as well as biological and cognitive ones—in working together with you toward utilizing your potential and feeling empowered.”
What about Payment?
Although I do not participate in managed care or preferred provider plans, many health insurance plans cover some portion of the expense for mental health practitioners who are out of network.
Moreover, various employers offer the benefit of a Flexible Spending Account, deducting your health care costs before taxes, which can represent significant savings. I recommend checking the details of your insurance plan for their individual psychotherapy coverage for out-of-network providers. It will be important for you to find out what percentage of the provider's fees they reimburse, whether there is a deductible, whether there is a session limit, and whether preauthorization is required. Staying fully informed of your plan's details will help prevent surprises and frustration later on.
Though I do not accept payment directly from insurance companies, I am happy to provide you with documentation that you can submit to your insurance provider for the purposes of reimbursement.
What about Scheduling?
For some people, the traditional weekly therapy schedule is stressful to maintain. Whether due to professional commitments, parenting or caregiving responsibilities, or any number of other personal obligations, more flexibility is needed.
In these situations, Dr. Bonior offers an option she calls her Flexible Scheduling Plan: a unique solution that allows therapy scheduling more on your own terms. With a separate arrangement than in her main caseload, this special plan allows maximum flexibility and the peace of mind of not being locked in to a certain time slot every week: no cancellation fees, no pressure of blocking off the same hour every week, no guilt about last-minute changes.
Please inquire if this option is of interest to you; availability is limited.