PuttingFamilyFirst

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CR Portrait of Claudia Richards
Online therapist

Claudia Richards

Experienced clinician for family and parenting challenges

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Credentials
LICSW
Experience
30 years
Licensed in
District of Columbia
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Claudia

Claudia Richards, LICSW, works with people seeking help for stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, and parenting concerns. She focuses on concrete steps a person can take to feel steadier day to day. Her style is straightforward and respectful, aimed at helping people make small changes that add up.

Claudia draws on 30 years of clinical experience in the District of Columbia. She uses practical tools from cognitive behavioral therapy to address unhelpful thinking.

Background and approach

She also brings client-centered listening that helps people name what matters most to them. When relationships cause pain or confusion, Claudia helps clients clarify patterns and practice new ways of communicating. She also supports people dealing with grief, addiction, or life transitions and offers guidance around career and self-esteem concerns.

Her work includes attention to issues like attachment and blended family challenges, adoption and foster care questions, and the effects of trauma or disaster. She approaches these topics with cultural sensitivity and clear, usable strategies. Claudia blends evidence-based methods such as dialectical behavior therapy and mindfulness with motivational interviewing when readiness for change is uneven.

Sessions aim to build coping skills, reduce reactivity, and increase emotional awareness. People who choose Claudia can expect a collaborative process focused on real-world results. She helps clients set achievable goals and practices skills between sessions to support lasting change.

How Claudia’s approaches work in online therapy

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening closely and following the client’s lead. The therapist provides acceptance and reflective feedback so a person can better understand their own goals and values, which is useful for relationship and parenting concerns.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts shape mood and behavior. Claudia uses CBT tools to help people spot unhelpful thinking, try new responses, and practice skills that reduce anxiety and lift mood.

Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, teaches concrete skills for managing strong emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness. It can be helpful for people who struggle with intense reactions or recurring conflict.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. Claudia will talk with each person about their goals, symptoms, and preferences to decide which methods to emphasize. She adjusts the plan as progress is made and as needs change.

Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging makes sessions easier to fit into busy lives. These formats allow flexible scheduling, quick check-ins between sessions, and multiple ways to practice skills outside of appointments. Licensed professionals can use these options to keep work moving forward even when meeting in person is difficult.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Concrete skills for riding out strong emotion, tolerating distress, and handling relationships without things escalating. The skills are practised in daily life, so between-session support by message or phone fits naturally.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Claudia commonly address?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and parenting concerns, plus addiction and grief.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is practical and client-centered, combining active listening with skill building from therapies like CBT and DBT.
How much experience does she have?
She has 30 years of clinical experience working with a wide range of emotional and interpersonal issues.
What credentials and region are listed?
She is a LICSW with license DC LICSW LC301720 and practices in the District of Columbia.
Are sessions offered in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
Which session formats does she use?
Therapy is available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
30 years
Licensed
District of Columbia
Languages
English

Next step

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