About Stephen
Stephen Murphy is a licensed clinician with ten years of experience helping people manage anxiety, depression, and major life changes. He practices in Maryland and draws on practical, straightforward methods to help people get through stressful periods. Stephen presents as calm and direct and aims to make sessions easy to follow for someone juggling work and family demands.
Clients can expect a therapist who listens first and then suggests workable steps.
Background and approach
He focuses on clear strategies for handling panic, phobias, mood swings, and overwhelm. Sessions often include skill-building for day-to-day coping and planning for small, achievable changes. Stephen uses several evidence-based approaches to tailor support to each person’s situation.
He blends attention to emotions with hands-on tools for changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. His work also emphasizes repairing attachment patterns and improving close relationships through better communication. He has experience helping people facing issues such as trauma and grief, addictions, ADHD, caregiving stress, and career strain.
He also supports those navigating identity questions and LGBT-related concerns. Sessions aim to be practical - focusing on what someone notices, what they want to change, and the next steps to try. Stephen offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text messaging for ongoing work.
International clients who speak English may work with him. To begin, a simple questionnaire and scheduling step connect people to a first session.
Approach and online care that fits your life
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them and then commit to actions that match their values; it is useful for anxiety, phobias, and life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical steps to change unhelpful patterns, which can help with panic, depression, and coping skills. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early relationships shape present connection patterns and communication, aiming to improve how people relate to others and manage relationship stress.Finding the right method is a collaborative process. Stephen will work with each person to pick approaches that match their goals and preferences, trying strategies and adjusting as needed. The plan evolves based on what is helpful in real life rather than sticking to a single model.
Online sessions offer flexibility for busy schedules. Video calls allow face-to-face work when visual cues matter. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to use video. Live chat or text-based messaging are useful for brief check-ins, skill practice, or when a shorter touchpoint fits between appointments. These options make it easier to maintain momentum and try techniques in everyday settings.
Questions people ask
What kinds of concerns does Stephen address?
How would you describe his therapeutic style?
What is his clinical background and experience?
Where is he located and what credentials does he hold?
In which language can sessions be held?
What session formats are available?
How is cost handled for sessions?
How do I begin working with him?
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Parenting issues
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Experience
- 10 years
- Licensed
- Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, District of Columbia, Maryland
- Languages
- English
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you.