Find Peace When Everything Feels Overwhelming

Therapy in Herndon, VA & Bethesda, MD & Online Across VA, MD, and DC

Do any of these resonate with you?

You're anxious all the time and can't seem to turn your brain off
You feel stuck between who you're expected to be and who you actually are
You and your partner love each other but can't stop fighting
You have thoughts that won't stop, no matter how hard you try to push them away
You're the "successful" one in your family but feel guilty, isolated, or like you don't belong
You're worn down from code-switching, explaining, or hiding parts of yourself

If so, we're here to help.

Hello, I'm Shalin Carter

I'm a compassionate and experienced therapist

I specialize in helping people who feel anxious, misunderstood, stuck, or caught between expectations and who they really are.

My approach is warm and collaborative, focused on understanding your unique experiences and providing the tools you need to move forward.

My personal experience as a biracial woman and the daughter of someone failed by mental health care allows me to support you with deep understanding and empathy.

Read more about me

active allyship cohort

Active Allyship Cohort

This 8-week clinical consultation community is designed to help therapists move beyond learning about cultural responsiveness and begin actively integrating cultural humility, intersectionality, and anti-oppressive practice into their clinical work with multiracial, biracial and BIPOC clients.

The goal is to become:

More skilled at recognizing what you don't know,
More curious about what you may not be seeing,
More attuned to what the client might need,
More willing to examine your own assumptions, and
More capable of creating therapy in which BIPOC clients feel seen, understood, respected, and supported.
Explore the Cohort

How We Help

Therapy Services in Herndon, VA, Bethesda, MD
& Online Across VA, MD, & DC

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy gives you space to talk about what's really going on and find ways to move forward that feel right for you.

Individual Therapy

Couples Therapy

Couples therapy helps you reconnect, communicate without constant conflict, and feel like a team again.

Couples Therapy

OCD Therapy

OCD therapy using ERP and ICBT gives you specialized treatment designed specifically for OCD, not generic anxiety advice.

OCD Therapy

grow your confidence

Supervision & Consultation For Therapists

You're a pre-licensed therapist that is looking to genuinely hone your skills and become the therapist you want to be, not just slog through getting your required hours. You’re gaining clinical experience but sometimes wonder if you're doing it right.

Or maybe you're a licensed clinician who feels stuck and needs a fresh perspective. Clinical supervision and case consultation help you develop critical thinking skills, grow your confidence, and become the therapist you want to be.

Supervision

What Makes Us Different

Three reasons you may want to work with us

We are real. We will absolutely NOT underestimate the significance of the realities of life in therapy.

We use an approach that marries attuned presence, genuine reflection, universal positive regard, acknowledgement of circumstances and social justice in the therapy room. Always.

1

We Help People Who Feel Stuck or Overwhelmed

Whether you're navigating life transitions, family expectations that don't align with who you are, racial trauma, or OCD that's been misdiagnosed, we create space for you to be fully yourself. We use specialized training and lived experience to help you feel truly understood.

2

We Use Evidence-Based, Specialized Approaches

We're trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Inference-Based CBT (ICBT) for OCD, and trauma-informed care. These aren't generic techniques. They're proven approaches designed specifically for what you're going through.

3

We Won't Give You Generic Advice That Doesn't Fit Your Life

We won't tell you to "just think positive" or give you pop psych tips. Instead, we'll work together to understand what's really going on beneath the surface and help you make decisions that align with who you actually are, not who everyone expects you to be.

Feel Calm

Find the Peace You've Been Looking For

It's possible to feel calm, to stop the overwhelm, and to build a life that feels right for you. Email us at [email protected]  to schedule your free 10-minute consultation.