Associate Therapist
Stacey Hellman is a licensed Clinical Social Worker in Ellicott City, Maryland. She has been in private practice since 2012 and works with individuals ages 18+ from all walks of life including those in the LGBTQIA+ community. Many of Stacey’s clients seek therapy when struggling with a variety of challenges such as unresolved trauma, addictions, self-harm behaviors, sexual orientation and gender identity struggles, life transitions, relationship conflicts, anxiety, depression, and grief/loss.
Stacey is particularly passionate about serving anyone who is truly motivated and willing to make changes in their life. She believes strongly in the power of the human spirit to go through challenges and to transform painful experiences into growth experiences. Stacey is dedicated to providing a relationship that is non-judgmental, fully accepting of differences and respectful of the client’s boundaries.
Stacey uses a strengths-based, integrative approach which means looking at all aspects of a person rather than just focusing on what seems “broken.” It also means addressing important components such as exercise, sleep, and nutrition which significantly impact mood and overall wellness.
Stacey’s primary approach is Internal Family Systems (also referred to as “parts work”) which allows clients to access their own inner wisdom and compassion and provides a framework in which to understand their behaviors in a completely different way. Parts Work can be applied to virtually any challenge the client is facing. Stacey also focuses on where the client is still holding unprocessed emotions from past experiences and provides a safe space for emotional release.
Education and Experience
After earning a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland in 2002, Stacey provided individual and group therapy to clients struggling with substance abuse. In doing this work, Stacey recognized a lot of untreated trauma and sought out specialized trauma training to be better able to help clients. She completed an advanced trauma certification through The Ferentz Institute (formerly the Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy and Training) in 2014.
She also obtained a 200-hour yoga teacher training certification through the Yoga Center of Columbia in 2017 and incorporates yogic philosophy and breathing techniques into her therapy practice with clients. Most recently, Stacey completed training on EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) which is an effective tool to help clients heal from trauma.
Other Interests
In her personal life, Stacey Hellman is a mother, yoga instructor, a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation.