Family therapy and counseling in District of Columbia

I have experience working with clients who have experienced troubled childhood. I work to unpack early experiences and rebuild. I create a safe space for clients to feel comfortable and share their experiences.

I believe there is no one "right" way for therapy and healing, so I offer multiple pathways—talking, movement, art-making, and body-based practices, like EMDR and somatic therapies. Working together we will find what works for you.

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” With over 10 years of clinical experience in psychotherapy, my goal is to help others to find the light. Congratulations on taking the hardest step of the journey with seeking help.

Welcome

Hello, and thank you for considering me as your therapist. My name is Tarianda Ruston, and I have more than 25 years of experience working in the helping profession. I am a licensed clinical social worker in both Maryland and the District of Columbia, with a diverse background that has allowed me to support individuals and families through many of life's challenges.

Throughout my career, I have worked in child welfare, foster care and adoption, inpatient mental health, custody cases, special education, and school mental health. These experiences have provided me with a deep understanding of the unique challenges people face across different stages of life. My passion is helping individuals discover their strengths, overcome obstacles, and build the tools needed for lifelong emotional wellness.

I believe therapy is a partnership built on trust, respect, and authenticity. My role is not to tell you what to do or make decisions for you. Instead, I provide a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you can explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences openly. Through thoughtful questions, compassionate reflection, and evidence-based strategies, I will help you gain insight, clarify your values, and make choices that align with the life you want to create.

I firmly believe that we hold the tools and answers we need to be our best selves. I will not only be asking how you are from week to week, I will be helping to make connections between seemingly unrelated things, and helping you get closer and closer to your therapy goals.

I’m a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C) with over five years of experience helping adults manage anxiety, ADHD, substance use, and relationship stress. My approach is practical and collaborative—I help you find real steps that make life feel steadier and more manageable. Before becoming a therapist, I worked in roles that taught me what real stress looks like, which helps me stay grounded and relatable in the room.

As an Asian, Christian mom of two from Northern VA, with experiences in both big cities and the suburbs, I’ve navigated the challenging expectations stemming from diverse cultural, generational, and societal influences. I’ve learned that being confined by limiting beliefs and labels can create a narrative that leads to distress and isolation. I believe that openness, discipline, and compassion within a safe space foster both acceptance and meaningful change.

Now more than ever, people are feeling anxious, uncertain, down, and even overwhelmed in their lives. Trying to manage relationships, family, careers, and life responsibilities can lead to pushing away your own needs or putting them at the bottom of the to-do list. Maybe you feel stuck at work, are grieving past losses, or struggle within relationships. Each person ‘s suffering is unique, and therapy should be guided by their individual needs. Whether you are hoping to solve a specific problem by meeting a few times or seeking to address long-standing injuries or vulnerabilities, I will work compassionately and practically to find ways to create paths to relief and develop a deeper understanding of what is troubling you or getting in the way of your endeavors and desires. I am a clinical psychologist with extensive training and experience in working with adults, adolescents, couples, and parents, for therapy, consultation, and life coaching. My primary interests include couples therapy, anxiety, ADHD, cognitive and memory difficulties, depression, grief and loss, life transitions, women’s/men’s issues, and culturally sensitive counseling.

You weren't meant to carry the weight of life alone. Healing begins when you have a safe space to pause, reflect, and be fully seen, heard, and supported without judgment. My goal is to help you reconnect with your strengths, gain clarity, and move forward with intention. Whether you're facing anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, life transitions, grief, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, impulse control challenges, or recovering from domestic violence, we'll work together to understand what's beneath the surface, develop practical tools for lasting change, and create a life rooted in balance, resilience, and hope.

I believe therapy works best when people feel genuinely seen, understood, and accepted. I strive to create a warm, thoughtful, and collaborative space where clients can bring all parts of themselves without fear of judgment. My style is compassionate, curious, and relational, I pay close attention not only to what is happening in your life, but also to how your emotional experiences have been shaped over time and how they live in the body, relationships, and inner world.

I work especially well with individuals navigating identity, belonging, life transitions, relational struggles, existential questions, and the impact of cultural or intergenerational experiences. As someone deeply attuned to the experiences of first-generation and immigrant communities, I understand how culture, family expectations, and systems can shape emotional life in complex ways.

I see therapy as a partnership. Rather than positioning myself as someone who has all the answers, I aim to walk alongside clients with honesty, care, and curiosity as we make sense of patterns, emotions, and experiences together.

So many of us are carrying stress, burnout, grief, trauma, broken relationships, or simply the feeling of being stuck — and you don’t have to navigate that alone.

I offer a calm, safe space where you can talk openly about what’s weighing on your mind and heart. My goal is to help you find real peace, joy, and a renewed sense of purpose during this season of your life.