Marissa Keilson, MSW, LCSW-C

Marissa Keilson, LCSW-C works with teens and adults of all ages. With a warm and non-judgmental perspective, her calming presence and years of experience helps individuals heal, grow and develop into their best and strongest selves. 

Among her many talents is the ability to listen carefully and kindly, offering specific suggestions, ideas and support to help the individuals she serves improve in all areas of their lives. A natural teacher, she treats those she works with as partners in learning and growing and makes sure they understand what tools they can use for self-improvement and healing. Marissa has worked with individuals around issues of trauma, from sexual assault victims to veterans, and individuals who have suffered loss or life events that left them feeling they had nowhere to turn. Compassionate and affirming, Marissa values above all else the power of relationships and connection and infuses her role as therapist with these principles.

Marissa uses a blend of cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic techniques in her work with her clients. Her expertise includes the neurobiology of trauma, anxiety, and stress; understanding how the brain works and how to help it heal emotionally. Marissa helps individuals understand themselves, by understanding familial patterns and inter-generational trauma.

With an undergraduate degree in art and an awareness of the myriad ways we connect to ourselves and our emotions through creative expression, Marissa brings the use of visual arts and other expressive modalities into her work consistently both for individuals and in the groups she facilitates.

Marissa is skilled in treating the areas listed below and is certified by the state of Maryland to provide clinical supervision towards licensure for therapists in training. Marissa is licensed in the states of Maryland, Virginia, and New York.

Treatment Areas:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Self-Esteem
• Mind-Body Connection
• Relationship Issues
• Sex/Sexual Issues
• Trauma
• Body Positivity
• Eating Disorders
• Maternal/Postpartum Issues
• Women's Health
• Insomnia
• PTSD
• LGBTQ Support
• Relationships/Marriage
• Impact of Trauma on Marriage
• Military Families
• Divorce
• Co-Parenting

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor's Degree, Fine Arts/Studio Arts, University of Maryland
• Master of Social Work, University of Maryland 
• Maryland Social Work Board Approved Supervisor
• Certification in Neuroscience: Applied Neuroscience for Brain Change in the Treatment of Trauma, Anxiety and Stress Disorders
• Certification in Trauma Recovery Empowerment Model
• Trauma Education Connection Initiative Program, University of Maryland
• Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 3 Clinical Training
• Relational Life Therapy: Intergenerational Trauma Training
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapist (DBT trained)

Memberships:

• Greater Washington Society of Clinical Social Work

Workshops, Presentations and Groups:

• The Neurobiology of Trauma
• Suicide and Awareness and Intervention
• Mental Health and Trauma
• Consent and Sexual Assault on a College Campus
• Ethics of Reporting in Child Abuse
• The Psychological Effects of Abuse on Children
• "Healing Space": A Women's Trauma Recovery Group
• "Seasons of Change" Women's Divorce Support Group