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 am the 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

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

I am the 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 “Speaking and presenting” below for details.

To keep informed of the newest therapy techniques, I regularly attend educational seminars.

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

Instead of individual therapy where you tell your therapist about your relationship problems from the "there and then," in group therapy you work on your relationships in the "here and now" with fellow group members. Some people view group therapy as the laboratory where they practice new ways to be in relationships, with the help and feedback of the therapist and fellow group members.

Research shows that group therapy is effective for problems like depression, anxiety, trauma, maintaining recovery from addiction, and more. Here is more information on group therapy.

I currently have 3 groups:

(1) General co-ed interpersonal process group

(2) General women’s interpersonal process group

(3) Co-ed interpersonal process group for loved ones of narcissists and borderlines. I’ve found that people with a family member, spouse, boss, etc. with these personality disorders often develop a unique set of personality traits, themselves, to adapt to the sick loved one. These adaptations may be useful in the family of origin but can cause dysfunction in other relationships and in one’s sense of self. This group is focused on the unique problems of people who have a loved one with a personality disorder.

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

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

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?

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 are closed, I will cancel our session that day too. 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. We follow the CDC’s guidelines.