Deborah Ward, LCSW-C, Psychotherapist
I'm Deborah Ward, psychotherapist and co-director of The Relationship Center of Bethesda. My practice as a psychotherapist spans over 30 years. I believe in the innate goodness of people. Problems arise when we lack the ability to communicate what's really going on within or can't get past defenses to understand another person's feelings or experiences. Most people haven't been taught the skills to be safe listeners and so we grow up believing that others don't have capacity to understand us. I love bringing people closer by teaching them to cross the bridge into the world of others without loosing themselves. I teach emotional safety by demonstrating emotional safety and believe breakdowns create opportunities for new breakthroughs.
I specialize in repairing connections between couples, individuals, children and parents. I have great success with even the most difficult of relationships. People are often amazed to find that given some expert guidance and a safe place to talk, they are able to express what seemed so hard to say. Equally surprising is the ease at which people become great listeners to each other without reacting or turning away. The skills you will gain in therapy will allow you deeper, more satisfying relationships and the ability to easily traverse life's deepest of waters.
I'm an advanced Imago couples and singles therapist and instructor of the Imago Parenting Program. In addition, I am a certified Mars/Venus counselor, "Calling In The One" Coach & "Conscious Uncoupling" Coach and senior trainer. I also practice Internal Family Systems Therapy & EMDR. Along with my private practice, I teach as an adjunct faculty member at St. Elizabeth's Psychiatry Residency Program in Washington, D.C. where my husband, Dr. Spencer Ward and I, have received several awards for our teaching.
I offer evening and weekend hours in addition to weekdays.
To book a session, call or email:
301.299.4897
dkward313@gmail.com
I specialize in repairing connections between couples, individuals, children and parents. I have great success with even the most difficult of relationships. People are often amazed to find that given some expert guidance and a safe place to talk, they are able to express what seemed so hard to say. Equally surprising is the ease at which people become great listeners to each other without reacting or turning away. The skills you will gain in therapy will allow you deeper, more satisfying relationships and the ability to easily traverse life's deepest of waters.
I'm an advanced Imago couples and singles therapist and instructor of the Imago Parenting Program. In addition, I am a certified Mars/Venus counselor, "Calling In The One" Coach & "Conscious Uncoupling" Coach and senior trainer. I also practice Internal Family Systems Therapy & EMDR. Along with my private practice, I teach as an adjunct faculty member at St. Elizabeth's Psychiatry Residency Program in Washington, D.C. where my husband, Dr. Spencer Ward and I, have received several awards for our teaching.
I offer evening and weekend hours in addition to weekdays.
To book a session, call or email:
301.299.4897
dkward313@gmail.com
Deborah K. Ward, LCSW-C, Dr. Richard Schwartz, creator of IFS Therapy, and Dr. Spencer Ward, M.D.
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Reviews"I never thought it would be possible to get my wife or my mother to understand my feelings without belittling or shutting me down. Working with Deborah has changed my relationship with everyone I encounter because she has given me the skills and sense of safety to stand for what I need by demonstrating what an actual respectful relationship would look and feel like. Now that I know how to treat myself with respect and it has actually trickled down to others."
– Joe "Our work has started a new chapter for me. In my head and in those of close friends and family there is and will continue to be for a long time, I imagine, a BD and AD (before and after meeting Deborah) distinction. I am so grateful for the AD." – Barbara "Coming here is better than Christmas." – Six year old client "Deborah introduced me to the astonishing notion that I might be a person of enormous beauty with great capacity for love, worthy of being cherished by myself and others. At first this notion was inconceivable. But, over time, lo and behold, I came to believe it was true and now live in the idea of it daily. That alone has changed my life." – Female Client "I have seen Deborah work with the most distressed and alienated couples and have them, in an amazingly short time, understanding and respecting each other. She brings a sensitivity and wisdom to her work which creates a feeling of safety, and a willingness to be open. People consistently describe their interactions with Deborah as safe, nourishing and, often, as life changing." - Dr. Spencer Ward |