Takoma Therapy

Takoma Therapy At Takoma Therapy, we offer a thoughtful and creative approach to therapy designed to guide you on a journey of self-discovery.

Connect with us today, and let’s embark on this transformative path together.

As we head into the holidays, we’re beginning a new Affirmations Series to support you during this season. Affirmations ...
11/10/2025

As we head into the holidays, we’re beginning a new Affirmations Series to support you during this season.

Affirmations are short, intentional statements that help reshape our inner dialogue. They become anchors to return to when you need a reminder of your intentions. These are words we choose to hold onto. You might read through these before a family gathering or a demanding day and select one to carry with you. At the end of each post, we will share journal prompts to help with your reflection.

This first set of affirmations centers on boundaries, which are fundamentally about us. Boundaries are not about changing or controlling others, but about clarifying how we will respond. They define where we end and others begin. During a season that holds both joy and intensity, these affirmations are meant to create a little more space, compassion, and stability.

📍Save this to revisit whenever you need to remember these words.

Little Moments of Joy with MacKenzie 🌸MacKenzie shared: “Flowers have brought me a lot of joy recently. Creating summer ...
11/07/2025

Little Moments of Joy with MacKenzie 🌸

MacKenzie shared: “Flowers have brought me a lot of joy recently. Creating summer bouquets for various events like weddings and showers has been incredibly fun and creative. I love matching colors and trying new arrangements. Summertime is the best opportunity to work with my favorite colors for bouquets, which makes it even better :-)”

As the days get colder and darker, MacKenzie’s reminder feels especially meaningful. Finding small ways to connect with color, creativity, and beauty can nurture our mental health. Flowers, art, music, and cooking can bring light into your routine and remind you that joy doesn’t only belong to summer.

Take a moment this week to notice what brightens your mood. Those little moments of joy matter more than we think. 🌷✨

Meet Bonnie Hough, LMSW 🌿We’re so excited to welcome Bonnie to the Takoma Therapy team! Her grounded, compassionate pres...
11/05/2025

Meet Bonnie Hough, LMSW 🌿

We’re so excited to welcome Bonnie to the Takoma Therapy team! Her grounded, compassionate presence fits beautifully with the heart of our work here. We can’t wait for you to get to know her.

Bonnie’s bio: “We all have experienced those moments when life knocks us off our feet. Maybe you’re
feeling like an impostor in your own life, or are dealing with circumstances you never
saw coming and aren’t sure how to handle.

A lot of people I work with come in feeling stuck, disconnected, or quietly wondering if
something’s wrong with them. (I’m here to tell you: there isn’t!) Together, we’ll look at
what feels out of sync and start uncovering what’s been missing, so you can move
toward a life that feels more aligned with who you truly are, and who you want to be.

In our work together, I bring warmth, curiosity, and a little humor when it fits. I pull from
different therapeutic approaches, but more than anything, I focus on building a genuine
connection. I’m straightforward and practical when it helps, but I also make room to go
deeper so we can explore the stories, beliefs, and experiences that have shaped where
you are today. My goal is to help you find your own strength and confidence to handle
what life brings—because you absolutely can.

I work with people from all walks of life, but I’m especially drawn to supporting those
dealing with grief, big life transitions, parenting and relationship challenges, pregnancy
and fertility journeys, and the ups and downs that come with physical health issues. Our
time together is a space to process it all—the worries, the joy, the heartbreak, and
everything in between.“

If you think that Bonnie may be the right fit for you, our link is in our bio!

Therapy can be a place that holds what you’ve been carrying alone. In this post, we’re exploring how therapy itself beco...
11/03/2025

Therapy can be a place that holds what you’ve been carrying alone. In this post, we’re exploring how therapy itself becomes a container: a place to set things down, look at them safely, and build trust in your ability to hold them. In trauma work, containment is a crucial skill. We learn how to hold what’s hard, piece by piece, until we can approach it safely. Therapy can be that practice ground.

When you picture therapy as a container, a place built to hold what’s hard, what does that bring up for you? We invite you to pause and reflect on this!

This week’s Little Moment of Joy comes from Sarena, our Business Development Manager. She’s the one who keeps so much of...
10/31/2025

This week’s Little Moment of Joy comes from Sarena, our Business Development Manager. She’s the one who keeps so much of what we do running smoothly behind the scenes. Her presence is woven into everything we do!

She shared: “This photo is of a dance party me and my kids had in our living room the other day. It brought me joy because it was fun. It’s important to remember to stop with the busy and have some fun!”

Even though Sarena’s work often happens out of view, she helps shape the heart of our practice. Her reminder to pause the busy and make room for fun feels especially right this week. Halloween is the perfect time to laugh, dance, and enjoy small moments of joy. 🎃

A Message from Our Founder, Simone: I recently presented at the Universities Studying Slavery Conference at Rice Univers...
10/29/2025

A Message from Our Founder, Simone:

I recently presented at the Universities Studying Slavery Conference at Rice University with
Eboni and Maddy. It was one of those experiences where you walk into a room and immediately
think: these are my people.

I believe that as a trauma therapist, my work parallels that of historians. We both uncover buried
truths, one personal, one collective. And right now, both kinds of truth-telling are under attack.
Some universities have quietly scrubbed references to this work from their websites. The
researchers continue anyway, quietly determined. At the conference, people spoke openly about
the fear, the sadness, but mostly the determination to keep going.

There’s profound relief in gathering with people who understand why this work matters. Who
know that uncovering collective trauma requires the same care as uncovering personal trauma.
Who are willing to go toward the pain because there’s hope on the other side.

I was there with colleagues from Virginia Theological Seminary to talk about the mental health
benefits of their reparations program for descendants of enslaved people and those who worked under Jim Crow. It’s small, but it’s real. And in rooms full of people whose job is excavating
horrors, this program stands as proof that repair is possible.

“Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.” - James Baldwin.
In difficult times, we find each other and we hold hope together.

——
Pictured with Simone is Eboni Davis, the head of the reparations program at Virginia Theological Seminary. Simone presented with her, Maddy Taylor, and Rev Joseph Thompson.

As October comes to an end, many of us feel a subtle shift within the season, and within ourselves. Shorter days and the...
10/27/2025

As October comes to an end, many of us feel a subtle shift within the season, and within ourselves. Shorter days and the approach of the holidays can bring up a mix of anticipation, pressure, nostalgia, loneliness, or a yearning for things to be different.

This transition doesn’t bring the same feelings for everyone. It is deeply individual and is shaped by our histories, relationships, traditions, and hopes.

This is where therapy can be a profound anchor. It provides space to notice what’s coming up emotionally instead of pushing it down, explore why certain seasons feel heavier or more tender, prepare for what the holidays might activate within us. Whether it’s family dynamics, boundaries, expectations, grief, or the desire for connection, we can learn to build emotional tools to move through this time with greater intention and self-compassion.

Use this post as your invitation to check in and journal. Try not to judge where you are, but to meet yourself there. Therapy is one place where that meeting can begin, and we’re here to help!

Little Moments of Joy: Jessica ✨She shared, “I find so much joy in my pets. I love to bring my dog, Skip, just about any...
10/24/2025

Little Moments of Joy: Jessica ✨

She shared, “I find so much joy in my pets. I love to bring my dog, Skip, just about anywhere. Whether it’s a fall festival, a walk to get coffee, the dog park, or relaxing at home, he’s always there to create a happy memory. He reminds me to laugh, play, and enjoy the little things. He has the most loving spirit and he’s so attuned to me. Anytime I have a hard day, he’s right by my side, ready to make me smile. Just about anything my cat, Marvin, does makes me feel joy. Lately, he’s been enjoying his new bed and soaking up the sun. He has such a unique, distinct personality. There’s a lot going on in his head, and watching him follow a thought, sing us a song with his meow, or chase a fly can make me break out in laughter unexpectedly. When he cuddles up with you, you know you’re lucky if only for a little while. He and Skip are constantly playing, wrestling, and chasing each other. Their relationship itself brings me joy.

I’ve also loved reading outside, and I even caught a gorgeous butterfly while doing so. It landed right by my fence; it was one of those cheerful and unexpected things that made me smile and brought me even more into the present moment. Being outdoors in this weather has felt so uplifting and grounding. Reading has sparked creativity and reflectiveness in me. Some of my favorite books I’ve read recently include The Martian, Daisy Jones and the Six, and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. I’d highly recommend any of those!”

For Jessica, joy is found in connection or mindful moments. What small everyday moments help you return to joy or presence?

So what does non-neutral therapy actually look like?Last week we talked about why the myth of the “neutral therapist” is...
10/20/2025

So what does non-neutral therapy actually look like?
Last week we talked about why the myth of the “neutral therapist” is outdated. This week, let’s get specific.

It means a therapist whose face changes as they listen. Who laughs when something’s genuinely funny. Whose reactions aren’t manufactured from a training manual, but come from actually being present with what’s being shared. It means someone shows up as themselves; not their personal life story, but their essence. Their way of thinking. How they hold struggle. What they believe about people.

This doesn’t mean boundaries disappear. The session stays about the client. The therapist doesn’t dump their own problems or seek emotional support. But their genuine reactions become information. Their transparency builds trust. Their humanity becomes a tool that guides the work.
When therapists stop performing neutrality and start showing up as real people within clear boundaries, we can learn what healthy relationship actually feels like. We get a template for connection to carry everywhere else.

If you’re interested in trying therapy, we’re ready to connect with you!

Little Moments of Joy: Chelsea 🌸Lately, Chelsea has found joy from two things: trying something new and spending time wi...
10/17/2025

Little Moments of Joy: Chelsea 🌸

Lately, Chelsea has found joy from two things: trying something new and spending time with friends.

She’s been exploring scratch art, a creative outlet that’s become both grounding and expressive. In therapy, we often talk about regulation and creating space for emotions. Creative practices can do exactly that. They give us permission to slow down, focus on sensation, and find calm through movement and color. It’s less about the outcome and more about the presence it cultivates.

When she’s not creating, you might find Chelsea at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, where sushi glides by, drinks arrive by robot, and small trains bring your order to the table. Sharing food, laughter, and novelty with friends is a reminder that connection and curiosity can be healing in itself.

Joy doesn’t have to be grand to matter. Often, it’s found in these simple, sensory moments that invite us back into our bodies, into connection, and into life.

✨ What’s something small that’s been bringing you a sense of joy or ease lately?

What if the distance in therapy wasn’t about professionalism, and it was about an outdated model? For generations, thera...
10/15/2025

What if the distance in therapy wasn’t about professionalism, and it was about an outdated model? For generations, therapists were trained that neutrality was the gold standard. Stay composed. Don’t show too much reaction. Keep personal responses minimal. It was what the field genuinely believed created the best outcomes.

But decades of research have told us something different. The strongest predictor of therapeutic change isn’t the technique, the modality, or the training approach. It’s the quality of the relationship itself. When we feel seen, when we sense our therapist is truly present and engaged, when the connection feels real, that’s when transformation happens. Authentic human connection makes the difference.

So what does that actually mean? How does a therapist stay boundaried while being genuinely present? And what’s the difference between connection and over-involvement? That’s what Part 2 is about. Stay tuned for more!

Meet Jasmine, our newest therapist! She will be joining Takoma Therapy soon. Jasmine brings warmth, experience, and a de...
10/13/2025

Meet Jasmine, our newest therapist! She will be joining Takoma Therapy soon. Jasmine brings warmth, experience, and a deep commitment to supporting clients of all ages.

“I’m dedicated to helping children, teens, adults, and families navigate life’s challenges with compassion and support. I understand that life can feel overwhelming at times—whether it’s managing anxiety, coping with depression, working through trauma, or finding healthier ways to handle stress. My role is to provide a safe, welcoming space where you and your family can feel heard, understood, and empowered.

My goal is not only to help you manage symptoms but also to create lasting changes that improve your quality of life. Whether you’re a parent seeking support for your child, a teen trying to find your voice, or an adult navigating life transitions, I’m here to walk alongside you in the process of growth and healing.

I received my Master’s in Clinical Social Work at Walden University and a Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Services with a concentration in Addictions from Alabama State University. I use approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family Structure Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and trauma-informed care to meet each client where they are. Together, we’ll work on building practical tools, strengthening relationships, and uncovering the resilience that already exists within you.”

We’re thrilled for Jasmine to join our team and we can’t wait for you to meet her soon! If you’re interested in working with her, our link is in our bio!

Address

6930 Carroll Avenue, Ste 610
Takoma Park, MD
20912

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 7pm
Saturday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

+13015639156

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