- Person-centered care
- Practical coping skills
- Trauma-informed approach
About Heather
Heather McQuay is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) practicing in Maryland. She has over 20 years in human services and more than a decade as a licensed therapist. Heather works with people facing anxiety, depression, grief, mood concerns, and trauma from childhood or adulthood.
She keeps sessions person-centered and practical. Heather listens first, then helps clients set clear, realistic goals they choose. She uses straightforward strategies so people can try new ways of coping between meetings.
Her background includes long-term work across clinical and community settings. That experience shaped a calm, steady style that focuses on building strengths. Heather combines short-term problem solving with deeper exploration when it helps.
She draws on several approaches to match different needs, including cognitive behavioral techniques, acceptance and commitment ideas, and client-centered conversation. Motivational interviewing and elements of dialectical behavior therapy also appear when useful.
Heather often helps people manage life transitions, relationship stress, parenting strain, career decisions, and the challenges of chronic illness or caregiving. She also supports those dealing with anger, ADHD concerns, and compassion fatigue. Her style is collaborative and respectful, aiming to make therapy feel doable and relevant.
If someone wants to learn more about how therapy might fit into their life, Heather asks a few questions and outlines practical next steps. She focuses on small, meaningful changes that add up over time.
How Heather’s Approaches Translate to Online Work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choosing actions that match personal values. ACT can help with anxiety, stress, and making steady life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at thought patterns and behaviors to find practical changes that reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. It often includes small experiments and skill practice between sessions. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental conversation where the client sets the pace and goals, which can help people feel heard and more able to take steps forward.Choosing the right approach is a team effort. Heather works together with clients to identify which methods match their goals and preferences. She adjusts techniques over time so the work stays relevant and doable for each person.
Confirm the offered session formats when booking, as current options are listed by the therapist. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and let people meet from more convenient locations. Some formats also allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight or audio-only conversations when bandwidth or camera use is difficult. Discuss practical scheduling needs during the matching process to find an approach and format that work.
Areas of focus
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Heather address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and related issues such as grief, parenting strain, relationship problems, bipolar mood issues, and ADHD.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Heather takes a person-centered, collaborative approach that focuses on listening, setting client-led goals, and using practical strategies to try between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
Heather has over 20 years in human services and has been a licensed therapist for more than a decade, working in clinical and community settings.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical, LCSW-C, licensed in Maryland and practices there.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.