Heather McQuay, LCSW-C | Therapist in Maryland

Person-centered approach
Practical coping tools
Trauma-informed support

About Heather

Heather McQuay is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) based in Maryland with two decades in human services and more than ten years as a practicing therapist. She has worked with people facing anxiety, depression, grief, mood disorders, and trauma from both childhood and adulthood. Heather focuses on helping people find steady ground when life feels overwhelming or uncertain.

Her style is warm and person-centered. She listens first and helps clients set small, practical goals that match their priorities. Sessions are collaborative - clients and Heather decide together what to try next and how to measure progress.

Heather draws on several proven approaches to tailor care. She uses cognitive behavioral techniques to spot and shift unhelpful thinking. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people make room for difficult feelings while taking steps toward what matters to them. She also incorporates motivational interviewing to support readiness for change.

Clients who reach out often want help with stress, relationship strain, parenting challenges, or work-related pressures. Heather also supports people dealing with grief, chronic health issues, codependency, ADHD, and compassion fatigue. Her aim is to offer clear tools and steady guidance so clients feel more capable between sessions.

Getting started involves a short matching questionnaire and scheduling that fits the client's availability. Heather emphasizes practical steps and steady support while clients work toward clearer priorities and better daily routines.

How Heather’s approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to accept difficult feelings while choosing actions that reflect their values. It can help with anxiety, low mood, and feeling stuck. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going and testing new, more helpful responses. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress. Client-Centered Therapy centers the conversation on the client's priorities, with the therapist offering empathy and support while the client explores goals and decisions.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Heather will work with the client to match techniques to their needs and preferences. Together they review what helps, adjust strategies, and set practical steps to try between sessions.

Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when a full session isn't needed. It can also make it simpler to continue care after relocation or when schedules change. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT, CBT, and client-centered work to an online setting while focusing on clear goals and usable tools.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuseAnger managementDepression Coping with life changes

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefParenting issuesSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependency Commitment issues Communication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separation Domestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgiveness Guilt and shameHoardingImpulsivityInfidelity Isolation / loneliness JealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

20+ years

Credentials

Maryland

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Heather commonly address?

Heather works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and mood disorders. She also helps with parenting strain, relationship and family concerns, codependency, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her approach is person-centered and collaborative. She listens first, then helps clients set realistic goals and try practical techniques between sessions.

What is her professional background?

Heather has 20 years in human services and over a decade as a licensed therapist. Her experience includes work with trauma, mood disorders, and grief.

Which credentials and location apply to Heather?

She holds an LCSW-C in Maryland. Her practice is based in Maryland.

In what languages can sessions be held?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How does payment and cost work?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's 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.