In-network, Accessible Care in DC, VA & MD - Find the Right Therapist for Your Needs
If you’re searching for a therapist in DC, you’re likely looking for more than availability — you’re looking for someone who feels like the right fit, both clinically and financially.
Too often, finding the right therapist means choosing between quality care and what’s actually affordable or accessible. At Sage Therapy Collective, we believe you shouldn’t have to make that tradeoff. Our therapists offer thoughtful, personalized care while remaining accessible — through in-network coverage with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and Anthem, as well as flexible sliding scale options based on your needs.
Below, you can explore our therapists’ bios, view their availability, and request a consultation with the clinician who feels like the best fit for you. Our diverse team brings a range of specialties, identities, and clinical approaches — so wherever you are in your process, there’s someone here who can support you.
Find the Right Therapist for You
Meet our Therapists in DC, Virginia & Maryland
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Huma Sikandar Fatakia, LPC
Founder & CEO
Holistic EMDR Trauma Therapist, EFT Couples Counselor & Perinatal Therapist DC & VA - Not Accepting new clients
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John Hardenbergh, LICSW
Gender-Affirming Psychotherapist & Attachment-informed Trauma Therapist
DC (In-person & Online)
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Theresa Sherman, LGPC
Culturally-Attuned Perinatal/ Postpartum Therapist & Trauma-informed Psychotherapist & Couples Counselor
DC & VA (Online only)
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Shayla Martin, LGPC
Trauma-informed Psychotherapist, Perinatal/Postpartum Therapist & Couples Counselor
DC (In-person & Online)
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Ashley Badgley, LGPC
LGBTQ+ Affirming Psychotherapist & EMDR Trauma Therapist
DC (In-person & Online)
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Allie Kassraie, LGPC, Resident in Counseling
Gender-Affirming Holistic Psychotherapist, Couples Counselor & Music Therapist
VA & DC (Online only)
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Isabella Calingaert, LGPC
LGBTQ+ Affirming Psychotherapist, Trauma-informed Therapist & Couples Counselor
DC & MD (Online), Waitlist for in-person
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Christen Yu, LGPC
Trauma-Informed Psychotherapist & Culturally Responsive Therapist
DC (In-person & Online)
Huma Sikandar Fatakia, LPC
Holistic EMDR Trauma Therapist, EFT Couples Counselor & Perinatal Therapist
Huma is the Founder & CEO of Sage Therapy Collective PLLC. She works with clients to help them overcome distressing cycles and empowers them to find stability, create healthier relationships, and live an enriched life. While cultural sensitivity and mindfulness are at the core of her practice, Huma also specializes in EMDR, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, Interracial Couples Therapy, Perinatal Mental Health, and Attachment-based Psychodynamic Therapy.
Huma is currently not accepting new clients.
John Hardenbergh, LICSW
Gender-Affirming Psychotherapist, Attachment-informed EMDR Trauma Therapist
Accepting new clients in DC - In-person & Online
John is a gender-affirming, trauma-informed, and attachment-based psychodynamic therapist who works with adults navigating trauma, relationship challenges, anxiety, burnout, and eating disorders. He has specialized focus and training in gender-affirming therapy and supporting LGBTQIA+ clients.
John provides a calm, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore their identities, relationships, and internal experiences at their own pace. For clients exploring gender identity or considering medical transition, he can also provide letters for insurance in accordance with WPATH Standards of Care 8 as part of ongoing therapy.
He believes that much of present-day psychological pain is rooted in past traumatic experiences and attachment disruptions. When we experience trauma, memories of these events remain with us as unprocessed memories, affecting our moods, behaviors, sense of self, and our bodies. Often the key to healing is fully processing those experiences in order to feel like yourself again. John is with his clients every step of the way to reprocess painful experiences to create impactful change in their lives, helping them gain insight into themselves and providing skills and resources for overcoming painful experiences.
John strongly believes in bringing an intersectional lens into the therapy room to understand how our overlapping identities and oppressions shape our internal experiences. Prior to becoming a therapist, John was a public interest attorney. He holds a Master’s degree from Catholic University and is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW).
He offers sessions to clients in Washington DC, in-person at our Dupont Office and online throughout DC.
Theresa Sherman, LGPC
Culturally-Attuned Perinatal/ Postpartum Therapist, Trauma-informed Psychotherapist & Couples Counselor
Accepting new clients in DC - Online
Theresa (“Tess”) is a culturally attuned therapist who works with individuals and couples navigating life transitions, relationship challenges, identity exploration, trauma, and emotional overwhelm. She has a specialized focus in perinatal mental health, supporting clients through the emotional and relational transitions of the perinatal period—from preconception through postpartum—and the evolving challenges of parenthood.
Originally from Buffalo, NY, Tess Sherman has spent the past ten years living in the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America. She understands that each individual’s unique cultural background informs and shapes how they experience the world. Tess brings a deeply culturally responsive lens to her work, paying close attention to all aspects of identity—including race, gender, sexuality, and physical ability—and honoring each person’s ability to define their own experience. Her person-centered approach allows her to create a space clients feel motivated to return to week after week—one where they feel heard, understood, and genuinely accepted.
Trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS), Tess thoughtfully integrates both practical tools and deeper, emotionally attuned work, tailoring her approach to what each client needs in the moment. A lover of foreign languages, literature, and poetry, Tess has a unique ability to put words to experiences that can often feel difficult to articulate. She believes that the power to name our experiences on our own terms—using our own language—can be an essential part of the healing process.
Tess received her BA in Arabic and Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame and holds a Master’s in Counseling from the College of New Jersey. She also completed a Master’s program in Women’s Studies at the University of Jordan, where she wrote her thesis on the role and significance of Jordanian midwives in national family healthcare initiatives. Although she conducts therapy exclusively in English, she also speaks Spanish, French, and Arabic. Soon to be licensed in Virginia, she currently sees individuals and couples virtually in Washington, DC.
Isabella Calingaert, LGPC
LGBTQ+ Affirming Psychotherapist, Trauma-informed Therapist & Couples Counselor
Accepting new clients in DC & Maryland - Online
Isabella is a trauma-informed, holistic, and attachment-based therapist who works with individuals and couples navigating trauma, grief, identity exploration, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. She has a specialized focus in supporting LGBTQIA+ clients, polyamorous and ethically non-monogamous individuals and couples, and those exploring non-traditional relational and family structures.
Isabella approaches therapy with a deep commitment to affirming all parts of your identity, including the intersection of personal experiences and the larger systems we live within. She works with clients across diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences, including those navigating multiple identities, questions of belonging, and self-esteem. Her work is grounded in understanding how trauma shapes our sense of self, relationships, and inner dialogue, and she supports clients in building a foundation of self-worth and more compassionate self-talk to address challenges at their root.
In her work with individuals and couples, Isabella integrates an attachment-based lens to help clients process trauma and grief, improve communication, and move through complex relational dynamics and life transitions. She has training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and supports partners in breaking distressing conflict cycles and building more secure, connected relationships.
Isabella believes that the relationship between therapist and client is the most important part of the work and brings a style that is warm, direct, and often infused with humor. She takes an integrative approach, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, family systems, strengths-based work, mindfulness, relational-cultural, and existential therapy. Her goal is to help clients build practical tools, internal resources, and supportive connections that extend beyond the therapy room.
Isabella holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The Chicago School and a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Humanitarian Affairs from Fordham University. She has specialized training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Isabella offers sessions in English to individuals and couples, virtually in Washington, DC and Maryland, and is soon to be licensed in Virginia for both virtual and in-person therapy.
She is accepting new clients for Online Therapy to clients throughout Washington DC & Maryland, and currently has a waitlist for in-person therapy in Arlington, VA & online therapy throughout Virginia.
Allie Kassraie, LGPC
Gender-Affirming Holistic Psychotherapist, Couples Counselor & Music Therapist
Accepting new clients in DC & VA - Online
Allie is a gender-affirming, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive therapist who works with individuals navigating trauma, identity exploration, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. They have a specialized focus in supporting LGBTQIA+ clients, neurodivergent individuals, college students, and those exploring identity, belonging, and self-understanding.
Allie is especially attuned to how trauma can impact safety, trust, and the nervous system, and works at a pace that feels supportive and grounding—whether clients are feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, uncertain, or processing trauma related to identity, relationships, or systemic stress.
With experience in queer and gender-affirming care, Allie takes a creative, individualized approach to therapy that honors each client’s lived experience. They believe meaningful change happens when clients feel safe, heard, and supported, and offer a warm, collaborative space where clients can show up as their full selves. Their approach emphasizes curiosity, compassion, and collaboration, helping clients build self-trust, emotional insight, and resilience over time.
Allie holds a Master’s degree in Counseling from Northwestern University. They also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, where they received the Music Therapy Professionalism Award.
Allie offers online therapy to clients in throughout Virginia and Washington, DC, including Northern Virginia (Arlington, Rosslyn, Alexandria, Mclean) and Richmond.
Shayla Martin, LGPC
Trauma-informed Psychotherapist, Perinatal/Postpartum Therapist & Couples Counselor
Accepting new clients in DC - In-person & Online
Shayla is a trauma-informed, holistic therapist who works with individuals and couples navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. She has a specialized focus in perinatal mental health, supporting clients through pregnancy, postpartum, fertility challenges, perinatal loss, and the transition into parenthood.
Shayla brings both clinical expertise and lived experience into her work, offering a deeply compassionate and grounded space for clients moving through some of life’s most vulnerable moments. She understands firsthand the emotional complexities of fertility struggles and the transition to parenthood, and is especially attuned to supporting clients through grief, identity shifts, and the evolving dynamics of relationships during this time.
Her approach is holistic and trauma-informed, integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), somatic interventions, and mindfulness-based practices to help clients reconnect with themselves, process difficult emotions, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence. Shayla is particularly passionate about inner-child healing, self-discovery, and supporting clients in building more intentional and fulfilling lives.
Before becoming a therapist, Shayla worked in television and film, a transition that deeply informs her understanding of personal transformation. She supports clients in navigating their own shifts—whether that means setting boundaries, working through avoidance patterns, or reconnecting with their emotional world. Her work also incorporates an appreciation for the mind-body connection, helping clients explore how stress, trauma, and anxiety show up in both emotional and physical ways.
Shayla values authenticity, self-awareness, and connection to one’s personal and cultural roots as pathways to healing. She works collaboratively with clients to help them shift perspectives, build on their strengths, and create meaningful, lasting change in their lives and relationships.
Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Shayla has called the DC metropolitan area home for over 20 years. She holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Argosy University and a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Western Carolina University.
Shayla offers sessions to clients in Washington, DC, both in-person at our Dupont Office and Online.
Ashley Badgley, LGPC
LGBTQ+ Affirming Psychotherapist & EMDR Trauma Therapist
Accepting new clients in DC - In-person & Online
Ashley is a trauma-informed, integrative therapist who works with individuals navigating trauma, grief, anxiety, and major life transitions. She has a specialized focus in supporting survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, gun violence, and those coping with the loss of a loved one, including suicide loss.
She understands that trauma can impact anyone, often in ways that feel overwhelming or disorienting, and approaches therapy as a way to help clients feel more grounded, steady, and connected to themselves. Her work is deeply client-centered—she collaborates with clients to process emotions, clarify goals, and move toward meaningful change at their own pace. She believes that while trauma can shape us, it does not define us, and that healing is possible through understanding, connection, and intentional work.
Drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a primary framework, Ashley also integrates mindfulness-based approaches, somatic interventions, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, and attachment-based psychodynamic therapy. This integrative, evidence-based approach supports clients in building insight, developing coping tools, and strengthening their relationships—both with themselves and with others.
Ashley has experience working with clients across a wide range of identities and life experiences and welcomes individuals from all backgrounds.
Ashley holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of New Haven, a Master’s in Women and Gender Studies from George Washington University, and a Bachelor’s in Journalism from Columbia College Chicago.
She offers therapy to clients in Washington, DC, both in-person at our Dupont Office and online throughout DC.
Christen Yu, LGPC
Trauma-Informed Psychotherapist & Culturally Responsive Therapist
Accepting new clients in DC - In-person & Online in English & Mandarin
Christen is a trauma-informed, culturally responsive therapist who works with individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, identity exploration, and major life transitions. She has a specialized focus in supporting clients impacted by complex trauma, including childhood abuse, domestic violence, sexual trauma, and systemic and racial oppression, as well as those navigating cross-cultural identity, acculturation stress as well as neurodivergent individuals.
Through her clinical training in both a community mental health setting and a college counseling center, Christen has extensive experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including college students and young adults navigating identity development, relational challenges, and transitions into adulthood. She brings a thoughtful and grounded presence to her work, understanding how trauma, culture, and lived experience shape each person’s sense of self and relationships.
Christen takes an eclectic, person-centered approach to therapy, meeting clients where they are and tailoring care to their unique needs and goals. She integrates evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based practices, solution-focused strategies, and relational-cultural theory (RCT). Clients often describe her as warm, attentive, and deeply attuned, and she is committed to creating a space that feels safe, affirming, and responsive to each client’s experience.
As a bilingual therapist fluent in Mandarin and English, Christen brings cultural and linguistic sensitivity to her work and strives to support clients in ways that feel both accessible and affirming. She draws on her lived experience across cultures to foster trust and connection, and is particularly mindful of how identity, language, and cultural context shape the therapeutic process.
Christen holds a Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) and a Master of Philosophy in Education (M.Phil.Ed.) in Counseling from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her clinical training, she has been actively involved in research in clinical psychology. She offers therapy in English and Mandarin to clients in Washington, DC, both in-person and virtually.
Christen offers sessions to clients in Washington, DC, both in-person at our Dupont Office and Online in Mandarin and English.