Welcome
Our lives are a series of choices, but our past experiences and natural tendencies sometimes complicate our journeys. Therapy helps manage emotions, behaviors, relationships, and wounds so that a person can gain footing on a path they can be proud-of. The combination of support, guidance, and personal empowerment gained in therapy helps people get from where they are to where they want to be.
Testimonials*
"We tried three different therapists for my daughter before finding Dr. Shiels. I thank Dr. Shiels for cutting through the power struggles and hesitations to open-up."
"She is both sincere and legitimately knowledgeable."
"Dr. Shiels never talks down to me, but at the same time tells me what I could do differently."
"In one discussion with Dr. Shiels, she gave me so much to think about and try. She even told me about a book that ended up being incredibly helpful."
Services
Dr. Shiels offers individual therapy for adults, teenagers, and children as well as couples therapy and group therapy. She is also available for teletherapy for adults outside of the Baltimore-Annapolis-DC area. Therapy with Dr. Shiels can help address depression/other mood disorders, anxiety, phobias, panic, parenting, marital/couples problems, infidelity, addiction, ADHD, aggression/anger management, poor self esteem, codependency, problems related to bullying, social skills, divorce, grief and loss, changes in life, trauma, PTSD, low motivation, eating disorders, self injury, stress management, personality disorders, oppositional-defiance, academic stress and decline, attachment difficulties, and more.
Meet Dr. Shiels
Hello there, and congratulations on taking an important step toward self-care and wellness by viewing this site. Whether you seek therapy with me or elsewhere, I sincerely hope you take every opportunity to reach your goals and attain the contentment you deserve.
My clinical style can be described as friendly, yet direct. Because I am a wife and parent (and yes, human being) myself, I am non-judgmental and empathic. However, I am also quick to hold people accountable in a light-hearted, yet honest way. I practice supportive guidance, where I naturally validate current behaviors and choices before leading toward alternatives. My clinical approaches are flexible and catered to the particular needs of whoever is sitting on the therapy couch. With individuals, I most often weave ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) concepts into the conversation. With couples, I most-often use Imago Relational Therapy along with Gottman principles. With younger children, I tend to use play-therapy combined with attachment and cognitive-behavioral principles.
Psychology and social-emotional well-being are not just by job; They are truly my passions. I consider myself lucky to have had opportunities to work in environments that highlight even the "unpretty" aspects of human behavior, such as prisons, domestic violence court-ordered programs, and inpatient mental health hospitals. I have also thoroughly enjoyed the complex insights into children I have gained as a school psychologist in an alternative school and therapist at a clinic servicing adopted and foster children. Since moving from Chicago to Maryland in 2009, I have found my professional niche in private practice. Being trusted as a confidante and guide to people who show up to do the work of self-improvement, is my ultimate joy. Even my free-time is filled devouring psychology books, journals, and Ted-Talks, while pondering how it all applies to the people in my practice.
I won't guarantee you that therapy with me will work for you, because that ultimately depends on your willingness. Alas, it is a tragedy that there are no magic wands laying around my office. But, if you decide to embark on a therapeutic experience with me, I WILL guarantee you that I will seek to understand you, support you, challenge you, and provide you with the feedback and tools that you need to reach your goals.
*Requests-for and documentation-of testimonials are in keeping with the ethical guidelines stipulated in Title 10 of C.O.M.A.R.
1298 Bay Dale Dr, Suite 211, Arnold, MD
P. 224-723-3907
F. 844-651-8135
