African American Therapist in Maryland - Care That Sees ALL Of You.

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At Life Migration Therapy, Charika White, LICSW/LCSW-C, blends evidence-based modalities with deep cultural competence. Whether you’re navigating depression, anxiety, racial stress, or life transitions, you’ll find a safe, judgment-free space that honors your lived experience as an African-American in Maryland. Virtual and limited in-person sessions mean therapy fits your schedule—and your story. Let’s reclaim resilience and move forward together.

Why Culturally Attuned Care Changes Everything

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Navigating life in Maryland as a Black professional, first-gen immigrant, or LGBTQIA+ adult can feel like you’re carrying an extra, invisible weight. Standard talk-therapy often overlooks the impact of racism, career pressure, immigration stress, and family expectations.

That gap is exactly where culturally sensitive therapy comes in.

At Life Migration Therapy, Charika White, LICSW LCSW C, blends evidence-based methods with lived experience as a queer Caribbean immigrant. Sessions go beyond surface-level coping skills to explore the systemic, intergenerational, and racial dynamics that shape:

  • Anxiety & high-functioning depression in demanding workplaces

  • Intergenerational or immigration-related trauma and attachment wounds

  • Racial identity stress and micro-aggressions in Baltimore, Silver Spring, PG County, and beyond

  • Career burnout & work–life balance for Black women and men in leadership

  • Queer-affirming mental health support for BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ clients

Whether you need a Baltimore-area counselor for panic attacks or a Prince George’s County Black therapist who understands code-switching fatigue, you’ll find judgment-free space to process, heal, and grow—on your terms.

Hearing directly from people who have worked with a licensed Black therapist in Maryland can help you decide if this approach is right for you.

Each testimonial highlights the impact of culturally attuned psychotherapy services and trauma-informed care.

  • Working with a Black female psychotherapist was a turning point for my mental health. Our sessions addressed racial trauma, family expectations, and burnout. Today, I have stronger boundaries, better self-esteem, and measurable progress in my emotional wellness.

  • Charika has completely changed my life! I came in not knowing who I was and left feeling the most certain about my identity and what I wanted for my life.

  • I can't express enough how grateful I am for the incredible support and guidance I’ve received from Ms. White. From the very first session, I felt heard, understood, and safe in a way I never expected. The strategies and insights she provided have been truly transformative, helping me work through issues I thought I would never overcome. Not only did she help me see things from new perspectives, but she also gave me the tools I needed to navigate life's challenges with confidence. Ms. White has been a beacon of support, and I am beyond thankful for her professionalism, compassion, and unwavering commitment to my well-being. Thanks to her expertise, I feel stronger, more self-aware, and better equipped to handle whatever comes my way. I can't recommend her enough!

  • I cannot recommend Ms. White enough. Truly a gifted therapist—mindful, careful, and deeply professional in their approach. What stood out most was their ability to create a safe and non-judgmental space while remaining refreshingly down-to-earth. Every session felt meaningful, and I always leave with new insights and tools to help me grow. Their genuine care and thoughtful guidance have made a lasting impact on my life. Thank you, for all you’ve done!

  • Ms. White is very endearing, charismatic and such a great listener. She truly asks the right questions to help me connect the dots for my therapy. Her vast knowledge and constructive feedback has helped me work on my traumas over the year. In the past, I’ve struggled to connect with other therapists because I am a 1st generation immigrant but Ms White was able to relate to my story because of her immigrant background and her understanding of the cultural challenges I faced. Ms White is kind but she challenges me constantly which I desperately needed in a therapist to really “do the work.”

  • Charika helped me to face my fears, decrease my drinking, and taught me how to sit with the discomforts and navigate in life with the use of healthy coping tools.

  • It's great to work with a therapist who is also from a different. She is warm, knowledgeable and culturally in tune with practices of my country making the sessions feel like I'm with a friend who truly cares.

  • To find a queer, Black immigrant therapist is like finding a unicorn. Charika indeed has been that for me and I cherish the moments we have that allow me to bring all of my true self to our sessions.

  • Charika provided the emotional support I’d never experienced in therapy before. As a first-generation immigrant navigating anxiety and career stress, I finally felt understood and equipped with real tools for change.

  • I came in with high-functioning depression and constant worry. Through Charika’s combination of CBT, Internal Family Systems, and culturally sensitive counseling, I’ve learned to manage triggers, stay present, and reconnect with my true self.

What Working With a Licensed Black Therapist in Maryland Looks Like

Complimentary Consultation

Intake & Goal-Setting Session

Custom Therapy Plan

Ongoing Support

Measure & Adapt

15-minute phone or video call to discuss your goals, answer insurance questions, and match scheduling. Low-pressure way to meet a Black therapist in Maryland and confirm we’re a good clinical fit.

Complete secure paperwork online, then dive into a 55-minute assessment covering mental-health history, family background, immigration story, and racial-identity stressors. This establishes a trauma-informed baseline for treating anxiety, depression, or career burnout tied to systemic oppression.

Charika blends CBT, ACT, EMDR, and IFS (Internal Family Systems) to build a culturally affirming roadmap—whether you prefer weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly sessions. Integrates evidence-based techniques with Afro-diasporic and first-generation immigrant experiences for deeper healing.

Flexible in-person slots in Prince George’s County & virtual sessions statewide (HIPAA-compliant video). Convenient for clients in Baltimore, Silver Spring, Bowie, and Columbia who need evening or lunch-break appointments.

Periodic check-ins using PHQ-9, GAD-7, and personalized wellness metrics to track progress. Ensures your mental-health goals stay front-and-center as life transitions arise.

Confidential, judgment-free, and rooted in anti-oppression care—schedule your first session today.

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

Alice Walker

Have a Question?

Want to reach out before scheduling a call? Let us know what’s on your mind below.

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Services and Rates

  • Psychotherapy maryland

    Psychotherapy Sessions

    Initial Appointment (55-60 mins)

    $230

    Follow-Up Sessions (50 mins)

    $200
    Includes support for anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, cultural identity, LGBTQIA+ topics, and more.

  • ADHD Evaluations Maryland and DC

    ADHD Evaluations

    Comprehensive ADHD Evaluation

    $600


    Includes clinical interviews, behavioral screening, and culturally informed diagnostics.

  • Immigration Evaluations Maryland and DC

    Immigration Evaluations

    Standard Immigration Evaluation

    $1,000

    Covers Extreme Hardship Waiver, Asylum, VAWA, U & T Visa Evaluations

    Expedited Processing (optional) — +$500

  • black therapist maryland and dc

    Consulting & Speaking Engagements

    Consulting, Workshops, & Training Events

    Price upon request


    Tailored to organizations, schools, and community initiatives. Please contact us for a quote.

Why Choose a Culturally Responsive Black Therapist

Life Migration Therapy delivers care that reflects the layered realities of Black mental health in Maryland. Clients often come to Charika when they feel unheard in traditional settings or worry their therapist won’t understand the impact of racial identity, immigration stress, or systemic bias.

A culturally competent approach addresses those gaps in three key ways:

  • Shared cultural context – Sessions acknowledge micro-aggressions, colorism, and community trauma without the need to educate your therapist first.

  • Evidence-based & trauma-informed – Charika combines CBT, ACT, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems with culturally sensitive adaptations for African-American counseling needs.

  • Whole-person perspective – Therapy explores work stress, family expectations, spirituality, and intersectional identities (LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, first-gen) to craft solutions that honor all parts of you.

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Results you can expect

  • Reduced anxiety, depression, and race-based stress symptoms

  • Greater self-advocacy at work and school

  • Healthier boundaries in family and partner relationships

  • Renewed motivation for career, creative, or academic goals

How We Work Together

Questions about working with a Black female psychotherapist in Maryland? This FAQ covers insurance, telehealth, trauma therapy, cultural fit, and everything else you need to know before starting counseling. If you don’t see your concern addressed, reach out—your path to culturally affirming mental-health support can start with one conversation.

  • Life Migration Therapy is led by Charika White, LICSW, LCSW-C—an African-American, queer, first-generation Caribbean psychotherapist.

    Sessions blend evidence-based modalities such as CBT, ACT, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems with cultural humility and racial-trauma awareness.

    You receive licensed psychotherapist care that centers Black mental-health needs, immigrant stress, and intersectional identity work—something generic counseling offices in Maryland often overlook.

    As a licensed psychotherapist serving Maryland and Washington, DC, I provide individual therapy that centers your story.

    Whether you’re navigating depression, anxiety, identity questions, or emotional stress, I offer culturally-responsive support tailored to your needs.

    You deserve care from a mental health professional who sees your full humanity.

    Its less about solution focused therapy, and more about commitment therapy to your own current space.

    I get to know you, address challenges with a person centered approach where I provide compassionate guidance that’ll bring positive change to your world.

  • While some clients resolve a focused goal in 8–12 sessions, others choose ongoing weekly or bi-weekly psychotherapy to sustain mental wellness.

    Progress is reviewed every 6–8 weeks with standardized measures (PHQ-9, GAD-7) and collaborative check-ins to ensure therapy services remain aligned with your changing needs.

  • Yes. Charika provides trauma therapy that targets high-functioning anxiety, major depression, and PTSD stemming from race-based stress, intergenerational trauma, or immigration transitions.

    Treatment plans combine somatic grounding, cognitive restructuring, and culturally sensitive psychoeducation, giving Maryland clients both immediate coping skills and long-term emotional resilience.

    Being the first in your family to navigate life in a new country can feel isolating.

    You may carry unspoken pressure, cultural conflict, or guilt.

    I offer therapy for immigrants and children of immigrants that addresses intergenerational trauma, identity exploration, and code-switching exhaustion.

    You don’t have to choose between honoring your heritage and building your future — together, we make space for both.

  • Absolutely. Maryland law allows licensed psychotherapists to provide HIPAA-compliant telehealth statewide.

    Whether you live in Baltimore City, Silver Spring, Columbia, or Prince George’s County, you can start virtual counseling and receive the same level of mental-health support you’d expect from in-office psychotherapy services.

    I am also licensed to practice in Washington DC.

  • Sessions explore acculturation stress, language brokering, and family role strain that many first-gen and second-gen adults carry.

    By integrating family-systems theory with culturally competent counseling, we unpack the pressure to succeed, code-switching fatigue, and guilt about “leaving home,” helping you honor both your heritage and your personal growth.

  • Life Migration Therapy operates as an out-of-network provider so treatment remains 100 percent confidential and diagnosis decisions stay clinician-led—not insurance-company-led.

    We supply superbills for reimbursement and maintain a limited sliding-scale for qualifying Maryland and Washington DC clients who need reduced-fee mental-health care.

  • We combine somatic techniques, cognitive reframing, and empowerment strategies to process anger, numbness, or hyper-vigilance triggered by workplace racism.

    You’ll learn boundary-setting scripts, self-regulation tools, and career-advocacy plans tailored to Black professionals and other BIPOC employees in Maryland’s corporate, academic, or healthcare sectors.

  • Charika is trained in affirmative therapy and integrates queer-inclusive language, minority-stress frameworks, and identity exploration into every session.

    Whether you’re a Black bisexual woman in Baltimore or a queer first-gen man in Rockville, therapy provides a safe space to navigate sexuality, gender, and cultural expectations without judgment.

  • Yes. We address perfectionism, impostor syndrome, and over-responsibility—common among high-achieving Black professionals and immigrant entrepreneurs.

    Treatment blends cognitive restructuring, values clarification, and lifestyle interventions so you can prevent relapse and maintain balanced mental health while advancing your career.

  • First we should schedule a complimentary call.

    We’ll discuss your mental-health goals, insurance questions, and whether in-person or virtual sessions work best.

    From there, you’ll receive a personalized therapy roadmap grounded in trauma-informed, culturally congruent care.

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