Lesley McGee, LMHC/LCPC, RYT-200
I am a licensed professional counselor and consultant who provides individual and group therapy for people based in Maryland or Massachusetts.
About Lesley
I consider my work with you to be a collaborative partnership centered on your strengths, values, and cultural contexts. In session I am always myself- creative, curious, compassionate, and open to anything you bring to the table. I also like to use humor because life often gives us a lot to laugh at. I don't believe that meaningful work has to be serious all of the time. I typically have a more active style of therapy and will use each session to explore and understand who you are at your core, as well as who you would like to be. My priorities are building a sense of safety and trust as I believe that change can only come from a space free from harsh judgment or criticism. Over the course of our work together we will learn how you can recover from the challenges of daily living, build meaningful connections, and feel empowered to live authentically. My style of therapy supports this ongoing behavioral process by examining the two-way conversation between your body and your brain.
I work on an ongoing basis to act as an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, and have a passionate commitment to activism, advocacy, and all issues relating to racial, social, and economic justice.
For people based in Massachusetts: I offer in-person services once per season/four weekends a year and telehealth services.
For people based in Maryland: I offer both telehealth and in-person services in Bethesda.
I write emotional support animal letters for people looking for that documentation. If you are interested in that please include that information in your inquiry.
Training and Professional Background
Lesley McGee, LMHC/LCPC, RYT-200
she/her/hers
I am a licensed mental health counselor and I primarily work with adults on a wide variety of issues including but not limited to: trauma in all its forms (e.g., sexual, racial, generational, and interpersonal), depression, family issues, suicidality, anxiety, social anxiety, co-dependency, loneliness, identity, and self-acceptance. I also have an extensive clinical background in group therapy and have lead therapy groups on a variety of topics (e.g., trauma, psychoeducation, mindful self-compassion, racial trauma in the Black community, and general support). I have also taught master's-level mental health counseling students.
My therapy is informed by polyvagal practices, my background in yoga, trauma-informed care, and relational-emotive behavior therapy. My therapy integrates aspects of mindfulness, self-compassion, art, writing, and psychoeducation. My work is strengths-based and I use ACT, RO-DBT, CBT, solutions-focused, and relational therapy frameworks.
In the video above, Lesley McGee and Michaiah Dominguez (Michaiah Life Services) discuss new age therapies, practices, and strategies for mental wellness as part of Worcester Polytechnic Institute's "Great Minds, Brave Spaces" video series.
In the video above, Lesley McGee and Alex Campanelli (The Mixed Millennial Podcast) discuss Alex's experiences growing up as a biracial Black woman in the DC-metro area. This was a demonstration video for master's students in Lesley's Social and Cultural Foundations class in Spring 2021.