Even on the best days, life can be challenging…

but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.

RELATIONSHIP CENTERED, CULTURALLY EMPOWERING THERAPY FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND IMMIGRANT FOLX in MD, DC, VA, OH and PSYPACT States

Imagine therapy with professionals who get you from the start.

As a practice made up of providers who identify as children of immigrants and living as people with multiple minoritized identities in this country, we can relate to many of the experiences of our clients. We’re used to fighting to be open emotionally in spaces where vulnerability can be seen as a weakness. We’re also used to navigating a complex society while juggling the challenges created by expectations of society, culture, and the intersections of being Black working Women, Immigrants, Daughter of Immigrants, Sister, Wife, Mother, and so much more.

Our experiences fueled our passion to serve and propelled us to get the training to understand how to specifically support those who have persevered to seek out this space of healing despite the narrative we often receive -that our problems are “not real” or “not serious” enough to be held and cared for. That’s just not true.

Our backgrounds, values, and identities shape how we experience pain and hardship…Let’s unpack this together.

Meet Our team

Dr. Oluwatofunmi Oni, PsyD

S. Vanessa Howard, MA, MS

Dr. Oluwatofunmi Oni, PsyD- Owner and Lead Psychologist

Clients describe therapy with Dr. Oni as a space they can feel seen, heard, and understood. She has no trouble doing deep work with her clients and loves getting to see them experience the kind of growth and transformation they come to therapy for.

S. Vanessa Howard, MS, MA Associate

Dr. Howard is supportive, introspective, and warm, providing a compassionate space where you can feel safe to explore your thoughts and emotions. She is dedicated to helping you identify patterns in your life and guiding you toward meaningful and lasting change.

Issues we can address in our work together

  • Whether through individual or couples work, therapy can help address a number of different relationship concerns, including issues with communication, boundary setting, assertiveness, grief/loss, family dynamics, dating and/or romantic relationships, workplace stressors, peer relationships, and more.

  • Stress and anxiety is something we can experience on a daily basis, but can impact us all in different ways. Signs that you may be experiencing stress and/or anxiety can include:

    • Excessive worrying

    • Difficulty controlling your thoughts

    • Physical symptoms (e.g., heart rate increases, headaches, sleep disturbances)

    • Panic attacks

    • Social anxiety

  • These are stressors that may arise as a result of being an immigrant/ Child of immigrants in this country:

    • Generational differences

    • Trouble balancing two cultures

    • Assimilation and acculturation issues

    • Immigration trauma

    • First Gen/ Second Gen issues, etc.

    • Third culture phenomenon

    • Intergenerational Trauma

      • Intergenerational trauma is when the impact of trauma experienced by your family is passed down to further generations. This can be reflected through parenting styles, family dynamics, expectations, behavioral and emotional functioning, traumatic experiences.

        If you are tired of carrying generations of pain/ trauma and need a safe place to be heard and supported as you work to unburden yourself, therapy can help.

  • Therapy can help identify ways to navigate within oppressive systems. Areas related to racial and/or cultural stress may include:

    • Marginalization

    • Discrimination

    • Racism

    • Cultural expectations

  • Therapy can help overcome perfectionistic tendencies and increase self-esteem. Signs you may have perfectionistic tendencies and low self-esteem may include:

    • Setting excessively high and unrealistic standards of yourself and experiencing distress when those standards are not met

    • Self-criticism

    • Fear of failure

    • Low self-worth

    • Difficulties acknowledging your strengths

  • People pleasing tendencies can look like

    • Putting other’s needs before your own

    • Difficulty saying no, even when you know it’s better for you

    • Self-criticism

    If you are ready to focus on yourself and learn how to be more assertive, I can help.

  • Signs that you may be experiencing depression can include:

    • Feeling down, low energy

    • Feelings of worthlessness/hopelessness

    • Decreased interest in activities you previously enjoyed

    • Low self-esteem

therapy Approach

We approach therapy from a relational cultural framework (a relationship-centered, culturally oriented form of therapy that focuses on how culture, identities, and context impact peoples’ experiences). We also integrate other scientifically proven methodologies (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) into the work to ensure that your goals are met.

our goals

  1. Help gain insight about inner workings and reduce self-doubt.

  2. Guide process of healing emotional wounds in safety

  3. Provide tools to foster empowerment and movement towards positive change.

With a strong focus on social justice and anti-oppression, we are committed to helping clients discover their true selves, transcend their stressors, and let go of the emotional and traumatic anchors holding them down.

Credentials

Licensed Clinical Psychologist Maryland, #06752

Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT), PSYPACT #13709
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, Loyola University Maryland

Doctoral Dissertation: Second Generation Nigerian Immigrants Pathway to Mental Health Services: A Qualitative Exploration

Doctoral Internship in Health Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University

Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology, Loyola University Maryland

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Rutgers University

Trauma Informed Care Certified

take your future into your own hands.

Click the button below to request a free, confidential consultation. Tell us a little about what’s bringing you to therapy, we’ll share about our approach and how we can help, and you can decide if we’re the right practice for you.

States we provide virtual therapy

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.