Emma Earnest

I'm Emma Earnest, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C) and certified clinical trauma professional (CCTP) practicing telehealth therapy across Maryland. I've spent six years working with adults navigating some of life's hardest terrain ; trauma and PTSD, ADHD, substance use and recovery, grief, and the complicated layers of identity and relationships. I graduated from UMS with my MSW and have trained extensively in somatic approaches, nervous system regulation, Internal Family Systems (IFS), substance use disorders and addiction, and trauma-informed modalities.

My clients often describe me as warm, grounding, and direct; I'm someone who will meet you with warmth and also challenge you when that's what the work calls for. I know deep and lasting healing happens when we work with the mind and the body.

I'm LGBTQIA+ affirming and work with adults of all backgrounds and identities. I currently have availability for new clients and offer flexible telehealth sessions across Maryland.

I don't work from a single-theory script. Depending on what you're working through and how you process best, I draw from a range of evidence-based approaches - Internal Family Systems (IFS) for deeper pattern work, somatic therapy when the body holds what words can't reach, ACT and mindfulness-based approaches when you need tools to manage the day-to-day, and motivational interviewing when resistance about change comes up.

My approach is integrative, meaning I build a way of working that fits you rather than fitting you into a framework. If you've done therapy before and it didn't quite click, this is often why - one-size approaches miss the full picture of who you are. I want to understand the full picture before we start and will help you get to places you've not been able to get to before.

Our first session is a conversation. I'll ask you about what's bringing you in, what you've already tried, and what you're hoping therapy actually gives you, not just what you want to stop feeling, but what you want your life to look like. I want you to leave the first session feeling like you were actually heard and like there's a plan forming, not like you just filled out a form.

I'll also share how I think we might work together and give you space to ask me questions.

Starting therapy is a significant step and it should feel like the right fit - so come ready to be honest, and expect me to be honest back.