Gordon Cohen, Psy.D.

My goal is to help you live your best life and draw on your own resources to better navigate the twists and turns of your world and weather your inner storms. None of us can do this alone. Therapy is an investment in the quality of your life now and in the future. Finding the right therapist for your unique needs is important.

You may begin therapy because a situation in your life has become too problematic or overwhelming, or, despite your best efforts, you feel caught in a repetitive, destructive or nonproductive pattern. You may be experiencing low self-esteem, family dilemmas, anxiety, panic attacks, depression or other life stressors. I combine talk therapy with behavioral and cognitive techniques in individual, group and couples sessions. During psychotherapy with me, you will work to see your struggles in a new light and strive to make positive decisions based on strengths that come from within. I’m a deep listener but not a quiet therapist. I’m often direct and challenging as well as empathetic. In therapy with me, you’ll do the work that is needed to find your core self, which is vital to a fulfilling life. I offer a warm, safe space where we can collaborate to resolve your current life issues as well as grapple with long-term emotional issues that may underpin deeper problems. I draw on over 30 years experience as a therapist to offer insight, wisdom and support as you develop greater self-esteem and more fulfilling relationships, lessen depression and reduce anxiety. I conduct both in-person sessions at my office and virtually with patients.

Group therapy is a cornerstone of my work. It can be an important component in an individual’s therapeutic growth. I lead six weekly ongoing psychotherapy groups, four for gay men and two for a mix of heterosexual patients and gay people, which have been up and running from ten to over thirty years. Our sessions are dynamic, experiential, based on state-of-the-art group therapy theory, research and practices. Couples therapy is one of my favorite types of work. Together, we focus on what is best for each person and the relationship itself. For some, this means honing in on how best to communicate with and love one another over the long haul. For others, it may mean working on an amicable and civil separation.

I am a past president and fellow of the American Academy of Psychotherapist. I served as staff psychologist at Washington, D.C.’s Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital and clinical supervisor at Whitman Walker Clinic. I have been a member of the faculty at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences since 2017 and a member of the American Psychological Association since 1990. It was my honor to have been chosen by my peers for inclusion in the Washingtonian magazine for my work with racial issues, LGBTQ+ and couples for both short-term and ongoing therapy. Having a diverse and multi-racial practice has always been important to me. I became a provider for Black Men Heal, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide access to mental health treatment for men of color. I also work with many interracial couples and adoptive parents. I hold a doctorate in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a B.A. in psychology from Columbia University; and a B.A. in philosophy from the Jewish Theological Seminary. I’m also certified by the Psychology Interjuriscictional Compact (PSYPACT) which allows qualified psychologists to provide virtual psychotherapy in most of the 50 states.

None of us can
do this alone.