Stephen Lerch, LICSW

I am an experienced therapist dedicated to helping my clients move past the issues that block them from growth.

I believe clients are much stronger than the problems that bring them into therapy. For over 25 years of ​practice in Washington, DC, I’ve worked with a range of client populations and issues, engaging skills I honed through extensive therapeutic training in private practice, community mental health and hospital settings. I have comprehensive practice working with clients facing chronic and acute illnesses and adjusting to life-changing experiences. I wholeheartedly believe that you are your own expert on your life. Through therapy, my goal is to help you identify and work through the challenges and obstacles that may be standing in the way of gratifying relationships, a satisfying work life, and living the life you wish to lead. Your problems are not what define you as a person. I do my best to create a safe and supportive environment with warmth, respect, kindness, curiosity, and a little humor. I tailor my approach to the particular needs of each client. Furthermore, I believe that all successful psychotherapy starts from building together a caring relationship of empathy and understanding. Treatment should build upon personal strength, and its goal should be increased self-reliance as well as a connection to others. I am committed to creating a judgement-free atmosphere that embraces all aspects of a client's life, and to challenging the cultural messages and unhelpful inner-monologues that hold us back from achieving our greatest potential.