Welcome
I'm Laurie Paul, a licensed psychologist specializing in anxiety, depression, OCD, interracial and interfaith relationships, and LGBTQIA+ issues, in addition to individual, group and couples therapy. I work with adults. My approach to therapy is flexible, culturally-sensitive, and aimed at helping you live a life that feels consistent with your values and priorities. I was the 2023 President of the DC Psychological Association.
I'm located blocks from the Friendship Heights metro. I am currently seeing patients in-person.
For more information, please send me a message to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.
LOCATION
5530 Wisconsin Ave
Suite 855
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
About me
Treatment philosophy
My treatment philosophy is to help my patients gain self-understanding so that they can feel more in control of their emotions, and by extension, their lives.
For instance, is your behavior driven by fear or anxiety? Are past traumas or a profound sadness or anger controlling your life instead of your highest self? If it seems like your life is going down a path that feels out of sync with who you truly are, then I can help you understand how you got here and how to get back on track.
Treatment specialties include:
Individual, group & couples therapy
Relationship problems
Anxiety (general)
Social anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Phobias (i.e. extreme fears of specific things, such as airplanes, going to the dentist, spiders)
Codependency
Perfectionism
Avoidance and procrastination
Post-partum depression and anxiety
The emotional impact of menopause
Academic and occupational concerns
Interracial and interfaith issues
LGBTQIA+ issues
Life Transitions (i.e. Break-ups, divorce/separation, moving, job changes, mid-life & empty nesting, pregnancy/new parenthood, menopause)
Treatment MODALITIES:
Group Psychotherapy
Gottman Method Couples Therapy (I completed the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy Training Level 2)
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP)
Mindfulness
Background and experience
I was the 2023 President of the DC Psychological Association. I have specialized training in cognitive behavior therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, and mindfulness techniques. I completed the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy Training Level 2.
I have been working with patients since 2009, and have worked within a variety of settings, including: private practice; community mental health centers; the psychiatric emergency room; inpatient and outpatient hospital settings; a university counseling center; substance abuse clinics; and a drug/alcohol detoxification unit.
I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology in New York City at The New School for Social Research, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association. While in graduate school, I spent 6 years as part of a research team studying how clients and therapists negotiate racial, ethnic, and cultural differences in psychotherapy. I also spent 5 years as part of a research team examining the psychological impact of breast cancer on lesbian and bisexual women and on Latina women, with a focus on social support, family support, and doctor-patient relationship. I completed a postdoctoral fellowship in psychodynamic psychotherapy at The Karen Horney Clinic in New York City. The training program is accredited by the American Psychoanalytic Association and the International Psychoanalytical Association.
I currently teach college courses at American University. I also provide continuing education workshops for psychologists. Please see the “Speaking and presenting” section for details.
To keep informed of the newest therapy techniques, I regularly attend educational seminars.
Speaking and presenting
I provide continuing education presentations for psychologists, invited professional presentations, lectures for the public, and media appearances on topics related to psychology, the LGBTQIA+ community, and cross-racial therapy. Speaking packages are tailored to your specific needs and industry.
Past Partners INCLUDE:
Have questions or comments? Contact me for more information.
Services
Group therapy
Tired of therapy that doesn’t go deep enough? Try group. In group therapy, the therapist and 4-8 patients meet at the same time every week for an hour. You can talk about anything you want, and fellow group members provide feedback and share life’s ups and downs.
Group therapy helps you see what individual therapy can miss. Even the most self-aware people have blind spots. In group therapy, your interactions with fellow group members reveal patterns you may not notice on your own. With real-time feedback from both the therapist and other members, you gain insight into behaviors that may be quietly undermining your wellbeing and relationships—insight that’s hard to reach in individual therapy alone.
Practice healthier relationship habits in a safe environment.
Group therapy is like a “relationship lab,” offering you a unique space to experiment with new ways of communicating and being vulnerable. It’s a supportive setting to step outside your comfort zone and practice emotional honesty—with guidance from the therapist and honest feedback from the group.
You're not alone—and you’ll feel it. In group, you’ll hear stories and struggles that mirror your own, which can be incredibly validating and healing. You’ll realize that others carry similar fears, longings, and doubts, which reduces shame and builds a sense of connection and belonging.
Tired of the same relationship drama? It’s not just them—it’s you too. You can’t change others, but you can work on your part of the dynamic. In group therapy, you’ll uncover the patterns keeping you stuck, get real feedback, and learn how to show up differently—so your relationships can finally feel different too.
Research-backed results:
Decades of clinical research show that group therapy is just as effective as individual therapy—and in many cases, even more effective. Problems like anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, and substance abuse have all shown significant improvement through group work.
Group therapy also helps address the relationship patterns that individual therapy often misses, including:
Difficulty forming deep or lasting connections
Fear of speaking your truth or being left
Losing yourself in relationships
Prioritizing others’ needs over your own
Struggling to set or enforce boundaries
Holding on too tightly—or disappearing when things get hard
Feelings of jealousy, resentment, or confusion about why people "ghost"
Feeling stuck in relationships that are too painful to stay in but too important to leave
And more.
Healing That Goes Deeper. Many people come to group therapy after years of individual therapy and report that the group finally helped them break through stubborn patterns. It’s not uncommon for group members to say, “This is the first time I’ve felt truly seen and understood.”
Shared motivation. You won’t be doing this alone. Everyone in the group is there because they’re committed to self-awareness, growth, and healthier relationships. The shared investment creates a powerful atmosphere of accountability, empathy, and transformation.
Ready to move beyond the limits of individual therapy?
If you’ve been in individual therapy but still feel stuck or disconnected from other people, group therapy may offer the breakthrough you’ve been looking for. It allows your therapist—and you—to see how your relationship patterns play out in real time. This deeper insight can help you discover your blindspots that are keeping you stuck and unlock new paths for growth.
Take the first step today. Starting is simple. You’ll begin with 1–3 one-on-one sessions with Dr. Paul where you can share your life story and clarify your goals. Together, you and I will assess if group therapy is the right fit for your needs and make a treatment plan.
Give group therapy a real chance. Many people feel hesitant at first but discover, often surprisingly, that being part of a group leads to meaningful and lasting change that individual therapy alone hadn’t provided.
Individual therapy
In individual therapy, you and I will meet one-on-one to confidentially discuss the problems that you’re having, set goals, and explore ways to meet those goals. I provide individual therapy to clients ages 18 and older.
People tend to seek individual therapy for all kinds of reasons. Some of these reasons include:
Feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, or like you can’t stop worrying
Eating or sleeping too much or too little
Social anxiety or having trouble forging or maintaining satisfying social relationships
Grades dropping or work performance decreasing
Feeling alone, lonely or like you don’t fit in
Low motivation, procrastination, or avoidance
Low self-esteem
Questioning your sexuality or gender identity
Feeling sad, numb, or apathetic
Difficulty focusing or difficulty starting or finishing tasks
Moodiness
Trouble managing anger
Difficulty adjusting to life transitions or losses
Coping with a trauma, such as sexual abuse or assault, physical or emotional abuse, a life-threatening diagnosis, or an accident
Couples/marital therapy
I conduct couples/marital therapy for couples of any age and at any stage of their relationship (e.g. dating, engaged, married or anywhere in between). My therapy approach integrates strategies from the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and mindfulness.
The couples I see tend to present with the following issues:
Frequent arguments; recurrent escalation of even small conflicts
Not feeling heard or understood; frequent misfires
Infidelity (e.g. emotional or physical affairs)
Feeling emotionally disconnected; difficulty deepening the emotional connection or finding a sense of security
Life transitions (job changes, geographical moves, grief/loss)
Interracial, intercultural, and interfaith challenges
Problems with sexual intimacy
Codependency
Questioning whether to divorce, or help with managing a separation
Modalities
I integrate strategies from a number of modalities to help you achieve your therapy goals
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Helping patients gain greater insight into their feelings and behavior.
Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP)
A specialized treatment for OCD, phobias, and illness anxiety.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
A solution-focused approach to therapy focused on the present.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy
A skills-based therapy that helps couples improve communication and emotional intimacy.
Mindfulness
Uses the mind-body connection to help manage emotions.
Consultation
I want to talk with you. Schedule a 15-minute phone consultation today. We’ll briefly discuss the problems you're having and whether we’d be a good fit.
Payment and insurance
Payment
Payment is accepted in the form of cash, check, HSA, or credit card and is expected at the time services are rendered. Treatment is $100-300 per appointment. A sliding scale fee is available for some clients.
Insurance
I am an out-of-network provider. However, our sessions may still be covered if you have out-of-network benefits. The way out-of-network benefits works is you would pay me my full fee at the time of the appointment. Then, you send a receipt to your insurance company, and they reimburse you. Many insurance companies reimburse between 50-80% of the fee. I'd be happy to help you fill out the insurance paperwork.
To determine if you have out-of-network benefits, call the Customer Service number on the back of your insurance card and ask the following questions:
Do I have out-of-network benefits to see a psychologist?
If yes, what percentage do you cover?
How many sessions are covered per year?
Do I have a deductible and has it been met?
What CPT codes are reimbursable?
Do any CPT codes require pre-authorization?
What forms do I need to submit to qualify for reimbursement?
Policies
Inclement Weather Policy
I will make every effort to be in the office, however in the event of inclement weather, if Montgomery County Public Schools close, we will either move the meeting to online or we will cancel the session. In such a case, you would not incur a missed session fee.
COVID-19 Policy
In-person appointments are available for clients who are vaccinated against COVID-19.
Contact
ADDRESS
5530 Wisconsin Ave
Suite 855
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
DIRECTIONS
My office is conveniently located in Chevy Chase, MD, blocks from the Friendship Heights metro (red line). The office offers easy access to major roadways: Wisconsin Ave (MD-355); River Rd (MD-190); and I-495, and is a short distance from Washington, DC. Metered parking as well as garage parking are available.
Get in touch
Please fill out the form below, and I'll be in touch as soon as possible. I respect your privacy. As such, I recommend you not include confidential or private information regarding your health condition in this form or any other form found on this website. This form is for general questions or messages.