Darby Integrative Counseling has been recognized as DC Metro’s #1 Trauma Therapists for Mind & Body for 2025, acknowledging the boutique practice’s distinctive approach to evidence-based trauma recovery and relationship healing. Led by Executive Director Andrew P. Darby, LCSW-C/LCSW, the carefully selected team of clinicians serves adults and couples across Maryland, DC, Virginia, Florida, California and several other states through secure telehealth, with in-person sessions centered in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The practice has distinguished itself through specialized treatment modalities that integrate mind and body in trauma recovery. This includes extensive use of EMDR—a treatment backed by multiple randomized trials showing significant reductions in PTSD, depression and anxiety symptoms compared to control conditions. The team also incorporates Internal Family Systems-informed approaches, somatic strategies, and acceptance-based therapies within a trauma-informed framework that addresses the full spectrum of client needs.
What sets the practice apart in the competitive DC Metro mental health landscape is its dual expertise in both individual trauma work and couples therapy. High-achieving professionals including lawyers, healthcare workers, executives and creatives turn to trauma-informed psychotherapy for challenges ranging from burnout and perfectionism to complex PTSD and relationship crises. The practice has become known for working with couples in acute distress, including those navigating betrayal, considering separation, or recovering from the impact of addiction on their relationship.
The team brings unique offerings rarely found under one roof. Diana M., LCPC, provides animal-assisted therapy with Otto, the practice’s therapy dog, particularly beneficial for clients experiencing grief, anxiety or trauma. This specialized service complements the practice’s broader commitment to accessible, integrative care that meets clients where they are. Several clinicians also offer expertise in addiction and recovery, supporting individuals from “gray area” drinking through severe substance use concerns, often alongside co-occurring depression or anxiety.
Operating outside traditional insurance panels, the practice has developed an innovative model using Thrizer to help clients submit superbills and receive automatic reimbursements from out-of-network benefits. This approach preserves the depth and personalization of boutique care while maintaining practical accessibility for clients who value premium therapeutic relationships.
Identity-affirming and culturally responsive care forms a cornerstone of the practice’s values. The team explicitly welcomes LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and clients in non-traditional relationship structures, with clinicians trained to address minority stress, racial trauma, spiritual harm and family rejection. For professionals and couples seeking EMDR therapy for complex trauma or Gottman-informed relationship work, the practice offers what Andrew Darby has described as therapy that “truly sees the whole person” rather than surface-level coping strategies. The recognition as DC Metro’s top trauma therapists reflects this commitment to evidence-based couples and individual therapy delivered with warmth, clinical rigor and genuine human connection.