- Attachment focused
- Practical skills
- Warm and direct
About Aiyana
Aiyana Ma'at is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) in the District of Columbia with 24 years of experience. She helps people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, or shifting life circumstances. Her work focuses on making sense of emotional patterns and practical steps for daily life.
Ma'at meets clients where they are and keeps sessions straightforward and readable. She often sees people who appear high functioning but feel stuck, disconnected, or drained by relationship patterns. Conversations in her office aim to slow things down, name what is happening, and try new ways of responding instead of defaulting to survival habits.
Her background blends several approaches so sessions can be both thoughtful and useful. She uses attachment-based ideas to look at core relationship patterns, cognitive behavioral techniques to shift thinking and behavior, and client-centered principles that follow the person’s pace and priorities. These methods are mixed to fit each person's needs rather than applied the same way to everyone.
Aiyana regularly supports people facing anxiety, depression, relationship strain, codependency, family of origin issues, divorce and separation, workplace stress, and loneliness. She also works with concerns like abandonment, commitment and communication problems, and rebuilding trust after difficult experiences.
Her style is described as warm, grounded, and direct. Sessions include reflection on past influences and concrete practice for new skills. To begin, prospective clients use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
How therapy approaches translate to online work
Aiyana uses attachment-based ideas to look at how early relationships shape current reactions. This approach helps people notice recurring patterns in friendships and romantic relationships and practice gentler ways of relating.She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. CBT can be helpful for anxiety, depression, and daily coping strategies because it gives concrete steps to try between sessions.
Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will listen to your goals and try approaches that fit your needs and preferences. Together you decide whether to emphasize insight, skills practice, or a mix of both, and the plan can change over time as progress unfolds.
If you are considering online sessions, confirm the current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Licensed professionals often adapt exercises and communication styles to work well over distance, so practical skill-building and relationship work can continue even when meeting remotely.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
24+ years
Credentials
District of Columbia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly address?
Aiyana works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, self-esteem issues, and coping with life changes, plus related topics such as codependency and family of origin wounds.
How does she approach therapy and sessions?
Her approach combines attachment-based insight, cognitive behavioral tools, and client-centered listening to help clients understand patterns and practice new behaviors in daily life.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She is a licensed clinical social worker with 24 years of professional experience supporting adults and young adults through emotional and relational challenges.
Where is the therapist located and licensed?
The therapist practices in the District of Columbia and holds a DC LICSW credential.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Are international clients supported?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to start working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.