Family therapy and counseling in Cockeysville, MD

I am Vanessa Namugalu, MSN, RN, PMHNP‐BC I help teens and adults who are overwhelmed, stuck, or newly diagnosed get clear, practical psychiatric care that actually fits their life. I offer same‐week consults for psychiatric evaluation, medication management, ADHD and adult autism assessments, brief evidence‐based therapy (CBT, TF‐CBT, SFBT), telepsychiatry, crisis stabilization, and substance‐use assessment. I prioritize safety, transparency, and practical skills so you leave each visit with a clear next step.

With 15+ years of clinical experience across crisis stabilization, inpatient psychiatry, correctional health, acute medical‐surgical care, utilization review, and outpatient settings, I combine deep clinical judgment with a trauma‐informed, patient‐centered approach. I coordinate care with families and interdisciplinary teams and offer both secure virtual visits and in‐person appointments.

Ready to see if we’re a fit? Book a 30‐minute quick consult, many patients secure a same‐week slot. If you need urgent help, write “urgent” when booking and my team will prioritize your request.

I am a doctorally prepared, board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based mental health care. My approach is collaborative, respectful, and centered around patients' needs, goals, and lived experiences.

I provide care through a combination of comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and supportive psychotherapy.

I am very dedicated, committed and passionate about mental health care. My goal is to renew minds, restore balance, helping my patients achieve achieve optimal health and well being. I love what I do and I care a lot about about my patients.

I have had a wide range of experiences with all developmental stages. I help create a warm and accepting space where clients feel safe and supported. I draw from many years of experience and continue to enjoy learning new ways of helping individuals.

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.

Hannah Thiessen specializes in trauma-informed care and EMDR. She brings a holistic, body-mind approach to therapy, combining traditional talk therapy with EMDR to help clients process trauma.

I believe in the power of language, culture, and genuine connection to make therapy work. As an LCSW-C fluent in English and Yoruba, I bring both clinical depth and cultural understanding to my practice — creating space for clients from diverse backgrounds to feel truly seen and heard without having to translate themselves first.

Since 2016, I've worked across community mental health, schools, residential settings, and partial hospitalization programs, supporting adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, grief, OCD, domestic violence, and life transitions. I consider myself an agent of hope — helping clients build resilience, find healing, and rewrite the narratives of their lives one session at a time.

I'm trained at the University of Maryland and take a holistic approach — considering how physical health, relationships, culture, community, and spirituality shape each person's well-being.

I am a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with more than 14 years of experience providing compassionate, evidence-based care to individuals and families throughout Maryland. As the founder of Behavioral Strength Resources and Partnership (BSRP), I specialize in psychiatric evaluation, medication management, psychotherapy, care coordination, and patient advocacy.

I focus mostly on behavior change. That might be a change from how you think about yourself, relationships, work, or something else. I can help you explore that. My role is to support you in believing that change is possible.

I also work in an open-ended environment. There is no contract or set number of sessions. Therapy should be flexible, and everyone's frequency is different. Most people notice growth within 10 sessions.