Talia Pfeffer, LMSW, LGSW is a licensed psychotherapist in Maryland and Washington, DC. She specializes in relational, psychodynamic therapy for adolescents and adults. Her approach is insight oriented; focusing on early relationships and patterns of experience that shape present challenges. She has experience working with individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, relationship or familial issues, trauma, eating disorders, and more. Talia aims to provide safe, empathic, and personalized care that meets the unique needs of each patient, helping them to cultivate conscious choices, gain self-awareness, improve self-esteem, and achieve relief beyond symptom reduction. Talia Pfeffer is accepting new patients for in-person and virtual psychotherapy.
Starting August , 2020 Orders Counseling will begin accepting United Healthcare insurance.
Danielle Larkins graduated with a Masters in Community Counseling from The George Washington University. Her love for the mental health field began in college, where she received a Bachelor's in Psychology from Furman University. Ms. Larkins has experience working with adults, including college students primarily in the areas of anxiety, depression, and work-related stress. Her internship at The Green Door broadened her skill set as she counseled individuals with severe mental illness and comorbid substance use disorders. After graduating, she worked at Inova's Employee Assistance Program where she assisted those with family, relationship, and work stressors. She believes in a collaborative and non-judgmental approach to help deepen her clients' understanding of self, as well as help them develop the appropriate tools to cope and manage their psychological pain and symptoms.
Angela Harris is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who works with adult clients presenting with depressive and anxiety disorders, as well as life transitions and stress management. She utilizes a variety of evidence-based techniques with clients including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solutions-Focused Therapy and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. She earned her Master’s degree from Loyola University Maryland. Angela has been practicing meditation and mindfulness for more than 10 years and uses some of the techniques from these practices with her clients. She received her Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University Maryland. She also holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Candler School of Theology.
Orders Counseling is open and we are available to help you with concerns related to your well-being. The best way to cope with stress is stress management. Stress management is aimed at controlling your level of stress for the purpose of improving your functioning. For example, it helps boost your immune system, provides mental agility, and emotional stability.
The first step in stress management during a pandemic is learning the facts. Understanding the facts about Covid-19 and your risks can help you feel less stressed than without the facts. Learn about the symptoms and your risk factors.
Second, recognize what you can and cannot control. We cannot control mother-nature but we can control how we adapt to it. Take control of your downtime. Turn off the news if it’s making you anxious. Avoid hot-button topics, and avoid people who stress you out.
Third, Look for the upside. When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities to learn and grow.
Fourth, reduce stress by engaging in fun and relaxation whenever possible. With reduced work schedules this affords you more time for family or personal relaxation. Social distancing allows for a reexamination of what’s important in life and can offer opportunities to reinvest in those things we care about. For example, call a friend, work in your garden, listen to music, take a walk, or workout at home.
Fifth, adopt a healthy lifestyle. Get your rest, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Masking our stress and avoiding our problems only makes things worse down the road. Having a clear mind means making good decisions for ourselves and loved ones.
Life will return to normal. Learn these stress management strategies now so that when things go back to normal you will have the tools and preparation to deal with most of life’s challenges.
Remember Orders Counseling is here to help. If you would like more information on how to help yourself or a loved one. Please contact us at (571) 308-8392.
Orders Counseling is proud to announce the addition of Jesse McClain to the practice. Mr. McClain is a licensed clinician in Maryland that has provided care for over 20 years for individuals struggling with PTSD, Depression, anxiety, substance abuse including gambling addiction and workplace stress. He has found purpose in helping others to find themselves and enhance their overall quality of life. He provides group, and individual therapy to a variety of populations. His specialties are work related stress, depression and addiction. Throughout his career he has worked as former Police Officer. He has also, been employed by University of Maryland Medical Systems as a counselor, Department of Juvenile Justice and Employee Assistance Programs.
The world has changed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The closure of schools, restaurants, and other local businesses have upended our way of life and caused us all to think differently about ourselves and community. With the physical distancing recommendations, federal and state emergency declarations, teletherapy has become an intriguing and necessary way to practice mental healthcare.
At Orders Counseling, LLC we are experienced in providing teletherapy and can be trusted to provide high-quality care during this time. If you are on the fence about beginning therapy in this way here are some considerations to think about.
1) Confidentiality & Setting: a private environment is important. If you live with family, a partner, children, or roommates, consider which area of your home will be the best for your privacy and comfort. Consistency of the setting matters. Make sure you are in a comfortable space where you feel emotionally safe.
2) Technical issues: sometimes the connection can be disrupted. Talk to your therapist about ways to minimize these disruptions and what to do if you encounter an issue.
3) Therapeutic Relationship: Teletherapy can fell easier for some and more difficult for others. Things to consider are the translation of verbal and nonverbal cues. Sometimes during a session, the connection may be lost during a phone call or via the computer. Make sure that you can be heard and/or seen during your session. Good lighting and strong internet connections assure uninterrupted time.
Remember this pandemic is temporary. If you start a teletherapy relationship with one of our counselors and things in the world change for the better, you can continue your therapy uninterrupted. Ask your counselor how you can transition to face-to-face counseling to continue your care. For more information regarding teletherapy or face-to-face counseling contact us at (571) 308-8392 or email your counselor directly. Together we will get through this pandemic together.
Orders Counseling is proud to announce the addition of Taylor White to our practice. Mr. White is a psychotherapist licensed in Maryland as well as nationally board certified through the National Board for Certified Therapists. Mr. White offers depth analysis in Montgomery to Adults, Couples, and Adolescents and has a background in grief, addictions, crisis of meaning, and life transitions. Additionally, Mr. White has a 25 year background in mindfulness.
Orders Counseling, LLC. is proud to have Sara So join our growing practice. Ms. So is a licensed psychotherapist in Maryland specializing in providing insight oriented, psychodynamic counseling to adolescents and adults. Her work is grounded in a historical understanding of the client and utilizes both depth and evidence-based practices. Ms. So focuses on trauma (PTSD), transpersonal, and contemplative domains in transformative work. Her approach is suitable to life transitions, relationship issues, family conflict, mood disorders, sense of self issues, and crisis of meaning. Additionally, Ms. So has studied Pastoral Counseling and specialized in integrating spirituality into traditional psychotherapy, whether it be a specific faith tradition or an internal process, and has worked with clients of various religions and walks of life.
Every once in awhile I am asked how my style of therapy helps people, so I decided to write this short piece to explain my chosen method of helping people. Insight-Oriented therapy is a briefer form of psychoanalysis which was first conceived by Sigmund Freud. It is a psychodynamic therapy that is centered around the idea that there are maladaptive cognitive processes in place and that those processes are for the most part unconscious.
The cure lies in making those processes conscious through free association and interpretation. As an insight-oriented therapist my aim is to help you think differently. The first step in my work with people is to support them by treating the discomfort they are feeling and then through a gradual process we uncover the mechanisms that prevent change. Then we develop and build strategies together to create lasting change.
My approach to the work is based on the relationship we create together in the room. We use that relationship to inform you how you behave with other people outside of the room to provide insight into those unconscious processes. For my style of therapy to be most effective, it is recommended we meet at a minimum of once per week to establish a meaningful relationship, thus a meaningful therapy.
Orders Counseling, LLC is proud to announce that April K. Latson will be joining our growing group practice. Ms. Latson is a licensed graduate social worker in the state of Maryland. She holds two degrees from New York University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree in Clinical Social Work. She has an extensive background in counseling, group therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, intensive outpatient programs, addiction recovery services, and program development in healthcare. She is also actively working as a field instructor for graduate students at various universities in the Washington DC metro area. April has a long term goal of opening a community center that will provide wrap around services for school aged children and their families.
Orders Counseling, LLC is proud to announce that Joanna Engelman will be joining our practice. Ms. Engelman is a former therapist and clinical coordinator for the Blanton Peale Clinic in NYC. In addition to her skills as a therapist she is a certified Life Coach, trainer, and author. Ms. Engelman has a Masters in Education from NYU and a Masters in Social Work from Touro College. She received her Bachelors of Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Check out this interesting article about how martial arts and psychotherapy intersect to bring sleep to your life. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/tai-chi-vs-psychotherapy-for-better-sleep-and-more/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Sleep&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body
Yesterday I appeared on the Daily Drum with Harold Fisher on WHUR 96.3 FM. Here is a snippet from the broadcast. I will post the entire mp3 of the show in the coming weeks. http://www.whur.com/whur/the-daily-drum-12-5-14-dealing-with-difficult-family-members-during-the-holidays/
Dr Pamela Brewer talks with Maryland Psychotherapist Rodney Orders about the impact of stress on relationships. Stress, particularly chronic stress, can be a powerful predictor of physical and mental health - learn more about this often overlooked experience that impacts the lives of so many.
Check me out this Thursday, April 10th from 3-4pm on WPFW 89.3FM & Streaming Live @ www.wpfwfm.org I will be discussing the impact of stress on relationships on MyndTalk with Dr. Pamela Brewer.
The Case for Psychoanalysis: Exploring the Scientific Evidence is a Great presentation about the efficacy of this treatment. A Case for Psychoanalysis: Exploring the Scientific Evidence