Rebecca sutter, LMHCA

Hello, and welcome. Reaching out for therapy takes real courage, especially if you have spent a long time feeling misunderstood or out of step with the world around you. I want you to know you are not alone here. Therapy with me is a space to slow down, look at what is weighing on you with more curiosity and less judgment, and move toward a life that feels truer to who you are. We might be a good fit if you are navigating neurodivergence, exploring your identity, living with chronic illness, or working through anxiety, grief, relationships, or a season of change, and you are looking for support that sees and respects your whole story.

My Education, Experience, and Specializations

 I hold a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University, a CACREP-accredited program, and I am a National Certified Counselor. I am licensed as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate in Washington and as a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor in Maryland. Counseling is my second career. I spent decades in STEM and technology before moving into this work, and I bring that same curiosity and capacity for untangling complicated problems into the room, alongside the empathy I have gathered as a parent, a spouse, and someone who has walked her own path of healing.

 I work from a person-centered foundation and draw on evidence-based approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS) with parts work. My focus is supporting neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ clients, people living with chronic illness, and women navigating identity, relationships, and life transitions.

Who I Welcome

 You belong here. I am committed to supporting people across every intersection of identity, and I stay grounded in that commitment through ongoing self-education, honest self-reflection, and careful listening to each person’s lived experience. I welcome LGBTQ+ and questioning clients, neurodivergent and disabled people, those living with chronic illness, women, people of all body sizes and adult ages, and people of all religious and non-religious backgrounds. I practice from a queer-affirming, neurodiversity-affirming, trauma-aware, and anti-oppressive stance. Part of my role is to help you loosen the grip of internalized stigma so you can advocate for yourself and meet yourself with more compassion, which are genuine protections against the harm that discrimination and marginalization can do.

How I See This Work

 I believe people are whole, capable, and already in motion toward their own healing, even when it does not feel that way. I do not think of anyone as broken. We adapt in order to survive, and sometimes the strategies that once kept us safe outlive their usefulness. Symptoms tend to make sense once you understand the environments and histories that shaped them, so much of our work is slowing down enough to notice those patterns with compassion rather than blame.

My background in STEM means I am comfortable sitting with complexity and helping you take apart problems that feel hopelessly tangled. My own life has taught me that lasting change rarely comes from force; it comes from listening inward and letting self-compassion lead. Growth, to me, is less about becoming someone new and more about remembering who you have always been underneath the noise. You are the expert on your own life, and my job is to understand, appreciate, and support you as you grow.

A Personal Note

Outside of the therapy room, I am a longtime pottery teacher and artisan, and I love making  things with my hands. I have traveled widely and raised two children, and I carry the kind of perspective that comes from a full and varied life. I tend to bring patience, creativity, and a gentle sense of humor into my work, because I do not believe healing has to be solemn to be real.

Clinical Focus

 Rebecca’s clinical focuses are:

·      Neurodivergence, including ADHD and autism, and the toll of masking and burnout

·      LGBTQ+ support, including identity and gender explorationAnxiety, stress, and life transitions

·      Chronic illness and chronic pain

·      Grief and loss

·      Relationship concerns and couples work

·      Self-esteem and women’s issues

•Rebecca’s training and clinical approaches include:

• National Certified Counselor (NCC)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) with parts work

• Brainspotting

• Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused approaches

• Feminist, integrative, and person-centered therapy 

I would be honored to walk alongside you. If any of this resonates, I invite you to reach out for a free consultation so we can see whether we are a good fit. Whenever you are ready, I am here.