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LICSW, MD, LCSW-C

Stephen Murphy, LICSW, MD, LCSW-C

  • Experience10 years
  • LocationMaryland
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and LGBT
  • Therapy approachesAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Attachment-Based Therapy
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About Stephen

Stephen Murphy is a licensed clinical social worker with a decade of practice helping people navigate complex emotional and life changes.

Background and approach

Holding LICSW, MD, and LCSW-C credentials, he brings experience in working with concerns such as depression, anxiety, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, and ADHD. His path into practice emphasizes evidence-based therapies alongside a compassionate, individualized approach that meets each person where they are.

He blends practical skills and reflective work to support clients facing career stress, parenting challenges, mood disorders such as bipolar, and difficulties with self-esteem or communication. Additional areas of focus include attachment and blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, codependency, and recovery from domestic violence or separation.

Stephen aims to help clients build resilience, clarify values, and develop concrete strategies for coping and growth. Stephen offers flexible appointment options and accepts international clients while practicing from Maryland.

He frames therapy as a collaborative process that combines clinical training with respect for clients' backgrounds and goals, working to create meaningful change over time.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Access

Stephen often incorporates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which focuses on clarifying values and using mindfulness and committed action to navigate difficult thoughts and feelings, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps identify unhelpful thinking patterns and build practical skills for managing symptoms. Both approaches are useful for issues like anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life transitions, and can be adapted to address relationship and mood concerns.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work together with each client to assess needs, preferences, and goals, then recommend or blend methods that best fit the presenting difficulties and personal style. Clients are invited to give feedback so treatment can be adjusted over time to maximize usefulness.

Online therapy formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for busy schedules and different comfort levels with technology. These options make it possible to continue work while traveling, balancing family or work commitments, or when in-person sessions are not convenient, while maintaining the same clinical approaches and collaborative planning that guide in-person care.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist commonly address?
Stephen works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, ADHD, and related areas such as caregiver stress and codependency.
What is the general therapeutic style and approach?
He uses a compassionate, client-centered stance and draws on evidence-based methods such as CBT, DBT, ACT, Attachment-Based Therapy, and Emotion-Focused techniques to tailor treatment to individual needs.
How much clinical experience does he have?
Stephen has 10 years of clinical experience working across a variety of mental health concerns and life transitions.
What credentials and location are listed for this therapist?
The listing shows LICSW, MD, and LCSW-C credentials with license details DC LICSW LC200002451 and MD LCSW-C 29950, and he practices from Maryland.
Can I work with him if I live outside the United States or speak another language?
He accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English.
In what formats are sessions offered?
Sessions are available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsDepression

Also works with

AddictionsTrauma and abuseGriefParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

10+ years

Licensed

Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, District of Columbia, Maryland

Languages

English

What Stephen can help with

Stephen Murphy works with clients on stress and anxiety, LGBT, relationship issues, family conflicts, and depression.

Stephen works with individuals navigating complex emotional landscapes.

Stephen works with depression, anxiety, and relationship dynamics.

How Stephen approaches therapy

Stephen's clinical approaches include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy.

Experience and training

Stephen is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker practicing in Maryland, with 10 years of clinical experience.