Allyson Shaffer, LICSW, LCSW-C

Allyson Shaffer is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in the District of Columbia and a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) in Maryland with 20 years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, anger, relationship and family concerns, grief, trauma and abuse, and changes like divorce or career shifts. Sessions focus on practical next steps and clearer ways to handle tense moments.

Her approach treats the person as expert in their own life. She listens for what already works, then builds on those strengths to manage strong feelings and repetitive patterns. Conversations tend to be straightforward and action-oriented, looking at what people do between sessions as much as what they say in them.

Allyson helps people sort through family of origin issues, parenting challenges, adoption and foster care questions, attachment concerns, and caregiver stress. She also supports those dealing with shame, isolation, multicultural stress, prejudice, or panic attacks. Anger is one of the areas she lists, so she will address how it shows up in relationships and daily life.

With two decades of practice, Allyson blends evidence-based therapeutic techniques with pragmatic tools. She offers strategies for managing panic, reducing reactivity, and improving communication. She helps clients plan small experiments to try between sessions and review what changed.

Sessions are conducted in English and are based in Maryland. The subscription-based session model can be canceled at any time. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.

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