Heather McQuay, MD, LCSW-C
Compassionate clinician helping people reclaim balance
Details
| Name | Heather McQuay |
|---|---|
| Credentials | MD, LCSW-C |
| Based in | Maryland |
| Licensed in | Maryland |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 20 |
About Heather
Heather McQuay is a licensed clinician based in Maryland with 20 years in human services and over a decade practicing as a therapist. She holds an MD and is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical, combining medical knowledge with clinical social work experience. Heather focuses on helping people manage anxiety, depression, mood disorders, grief, and the long-term effects of trauma.
Her style is warm and person-centered. She aims to meet people where they are and work alongside them.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on practical steps the client can try between meetings. Goals are set together and adjusted as needed. Heather draws on several approaches to fit each person’s needs.
She uses Narrative ideas to help people reframe difficult stories about themselves. Cognitive Behavioral techniques are used to notice and change unhelpful thoughts and actions. She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy tools to clarify values and build small habits toward them.
Client-centered methods guide how she listens and responds, keeping the client's experience central. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are added when emotion regulation or distress tolerance is needed. Her work covers a wide range of concerns, including relationship strain, parenting stress, career worries, ADHD, chronic pain, caregiving stress, and issues tied to adoption or abandonment.
Heather offers practical, down-to-earth support aimed at helping people regain steadiness and move forward.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Anger management among the things Heather works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Existential Therapy: Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Somatic Therapy: Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Heather among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Heather directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Heather directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How Heather’s Approaches Work Online
Heather combines Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Client-Centered methods in online sessions. Narrative Therapy helps people separate themselves from their problems by re-authoring the stories they tell about their lives. It can be useful when past events shape how someone sees themselves.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on clarifying values and taking committed actions toward them. ACT teaches simple skills to notice difficult thoughts without getting stuck and to pursue meaningful goals. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes warm, nonjudgmental listening and lets the client guide the pace and focus of sessions.
Finding the best fit is a collaborative process. Heather will talk with each person about goals and preferences, and then suggest techniques that match those needs. She adjusts methods over time based on what helps the person make steady progress.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face interaction and visual cues. Phone work can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for brief check-ins. Live chat and text messaging offer flexibility for quick reflections and ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to schedule care around work, caregiving, or other commitments.
Common questions about this listing
What kinds of issues does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, anger, depression, grief, relationship and family concerns, parenting strain, self-esteem, career issues, bipolar concerns, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.
What is her general therapeutic style?
She practices a person-centered approach that emphasizes collaboration. Sessions focus on listening, setting shared goals, and trying practical steps between meetings.
How much experience does she have?
Heather has 20 years in the human services field and more than a decade as a licensed therapist.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an MD and is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) based in Maryland.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Heather offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Heather are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Heather where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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