LGBT therapists in Greenbelt, MD

I am a board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with a primary care background. I graduated from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. My focus areas are adults and geriatric patients.

You should know that I take your concerns seriously, and I will meet you with compassion, respect, and zero judgment. I understand that reaching out for mental health support can feel intimidating, especially if you have faced stigma, felt dismissed in the past, or worried about what a diagnosis might mean. My goal is to help you feel safe and at ease from the very first conversation.

As a doctoral-prepared, board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over eight years of experience in psychiatric and mental health care, I work with individuals across the lifespan. I commonly support people navigating depression, anxiety, PTSD, stress-related concerns, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and other emotional or behavioral health challenges. I approach each person as a whole, not a label, and I take the time to understand your symptoms in the context of your life, your stressors, your strengths, and your goals.

In our work together, you can expect a collaborative, patient-centered approach. I believe treatment works best when you feel heard and involved, so we will discuss what you are experiencing, what has helped or not helped in the past, and what you want to be different moving forward. If medication is part of your care, I prioritize thoughtful, evidence-based decisions, clear education about options, and ongoing adjustments based on your response and preferences. I also value practical strategies and supportive guidance that you can apply between sessions.

Most importantly, I am passionate about each person I serve because I know you are important, and I recognize the courage it takes to seek help. My role is to offer steady, professional support and a trusting relationship as you work toward clarity, stability, and lasting wellness.

Great to meet you! I am Dr. Shannon Howard, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LCPC, LPC) for the states of DC & MD, a Certified Life Coach, and an Author. I have been helping individuals, children, couples, and families navigate grief and loss, trauma, anxiety, adjustment, depression and more for over 24 years.

My educational background consists of a dual Master's in both Counseling and Clinical Psychology. I received my first master's at Towson University in 2000, a second Masters and Doctorate in 2008 and 2010 from The American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University. I minored in Philosophy as well as Women's Studies.

I possess specialized training in areas of trauma, specifically in the assessment and treatment of sex offenders and survivors of sexual assault. I have worked in an adult inpatient psychiatric hospital, a day program for adults with chronic and acute mental illness, as well as on an outpatient basis as a private practitioner and with a group practice. I worked with Parole and Probation to help clients maintain compliance and management while on the registry. As a Certified Life Coach, I help coaching clients discover what they truly desire. We collaborate to create a roadmap to move you forward and build a future that feels grounded and authentic to you.

At present, I offer a full range of services and am open to accepting new virtual clients.

*PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST BE IN EITHER DC OR MD AT THE TIME OF YOUR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT!

**I offer a 10-minute grace period to all clients before logging off of the Zoom platform. If you wish to reschedule, please message me here on Headway.""

Dr. Opelt earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at New Mexico State University after completing his Master’s of Science in Educational Psychology: Community Counseling from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. During his graduate training, he earned certifications in Trauma Counseling and Multicultural Knowledge Basis in Mental Health Practices, and a graduate minor in Integrated Behavioral Health. Dr. Opelt has completed postdoctoral fellowships in research in Rehabilitation Psychology, with an emphasis on Multiple Sclerosis, at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and in clinical Rehabilitation and Pain Psychology at MedStar Health National Rehabilitation Hospital. He has focused his clinical work on adults who have concerns about insomnia, cognitive impairment, addiction, LGBT+ concerns, caregiver support, transplants, burn survivors, cancer, musculoskeletal diseases like MS and Parkinson’s disease, and those who have amputations. He is a licensed psychologist in Maryland and Illinois.